"We should celebrate every little bit of who we are." Today in Seminar Group, we followed up on a recent Academy lecture by talking about how important the balance is between character and attitude. Often times, if we want to change our character, we need to change our attitude. I love that, so simple, but true!!

My Seminar Group meets on Mondays and Fridays, and our discussions are always lively as we dig deeper into the content we're learning in Academy sessions. We may have opposing ideas, but we lovingly disagree and wrestle through important issues of life, God, and the Bible. I love the diverse personality and genuine flavour of our group!

_ In today's session, we talked about character traits; first we wrote down positive traits on papers taped to each others backs. Afterwards, we talked about what we were surprised or not surprised to read about ourselves.

Today's group exercise also taught me about the power of praise. As we see God-given qualities in the people around us, it's important to verbalize that! An encouraging person will see the best in others and speak that over them!

Well, I certainly haven’t done a lot of songwriting recently. You may have noticed in my last post that I’ve been busy learning others' songs. But, I’ve been muchly inspired and haven’t stopped the active process of thinking of writing music. (Aside: What I'm personally learning is that I need to give myself a break sometimes and not hold myself to the ‘rules’ or goals I set for myself.)

So, how do I let original music flow?

1. Let music flow: Be inspired by new sounds

Wow, I’m inspired by Hammock’s album — I recently wrote about taking a day of rest and prayer with music. Hammock's music must have affected me, because last night I got home with a USB to Midi cable, plugged it in to my keyboard, and wrote this:

2. Let music flow: Don’t put the self-critical spirit on!

I learned last night that it's freeing to do a one-take-only of each track and allow myself permission for errors. (Yes, I went back and altered the grossly wrong notes, but left some dissonance in there just for kicks!)

We tend to want to micromanage our errors if we’re perfectionist musicians. So, I purposefully made up the lyrics as I went along. They flowed out in a very unique way. I’ve never had this before! It was a short, but significant concept. (see the end of this post.)

3. Let music flow: Change up the process.

Letting music flow out of you means doing things in a different way. In this song, I sung lyrics after composing the music, which is also a different process than typical. Usually I have the lyric concepts and ideas before or during the melody composition.

It’s good to mix up songwriting methods, it’s refreshing, and I’ve found myself very energized through the whole process!

The last time I posted about what’s going on musically in my world, I hinted at some musical weaknesses that I’m working on.

I thought I’d give an update and share the three best things about learning new songs:

1. Learning new songs is good for me spiritually
Last week, was my busiest week yet: I had five music setlists to keep track of!

• Monday: Focus Band rehearsal
• Thursday: Cherish Girls
• Friday: Edge (youth)
• Sunday am: offsite at another church’s chapel
• Sunday pm: ALC Leeds

Being in such an intense song learning curve is requiring me to raise the bar of song-learning. This means listening to music all the time, bathing myself in new words.

The outcome is: I’ve been so bolstered in my spirit to meditate on God’s Word. Often the setlist is chosen for me, and when I start listening to the new songs, I laugh at how often they are for me! Themes of freedom, healing and grace are so relevant to me right now.

• “In Your presence, in Your power, awakening, For this moment, for this hour, awakening”
• “Invading all my weakness, you wrap me up in grace, the worst of me succeeded by the best of you.”
• “With you, Hope is now restored, Salvation by your blood, rescued me, With you, Freedom is now real, Salvation by the power of Jesus, The power that rescued me”
• “Above all sickness, above all fear, above every heartache here, In Earth and Heaven My God reigns”

2. Learning new songs helps me understand the art of musical arrangement
Having served in my home church band for over 10 years, I know that it’s easy to stick to one arrangement of a song and leave the creativity at the door. With some recent Academy lectures on musicianship and with all these new songs, I’ve taken more of an interest in understanding this.

Also, as I learn new songs, I need to listen carefully to the keyboard and piano part, which helps me become a better music arranger. (See last week’s academy quotes for a quote on this.)

For some songs, I get to listen to the stems for ALC church recordings. Importing each stem track into Garageband helps me listen and analyze each section.

3. Learning new songs helps me be organized.

Since the ALC worship team has a central database of mp3s and chords for songs on their lists, I have access to downloading everything I need to learn. This is a great model that is so helpful for churches to follow. (It puts the resources in the musical volunteers’ hands, as well, a great benefit)

To keep everything straight, I’ve started a masterlist document on my computer which I update with each song that I learn. This usually has the chords for each song, and often the Nashville Numbering system.

Learning curves can be uncomfortable, depending on how steep that curve is. There’s no doubt about it, God is shaping my character, and giving me a chance to grow musically, too!

I enjoy the diversity of lectures I hear at the Abundant Life Church's Leadership Academy. Last week, we learned about the Old Testament, about our attitude and integrity, the Holy Spirit, God' direction for our choices, church history, and practical music mixing and worship leader principles, for those of us in the Worship Elective.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the sessions below. See previous week's quotes: Week 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and week 8.

Week 9 Quotes:

“If we didn’t have Genesis, the rest wouldn’t make sense. Thematic studies should track back time and time again to Genesis “— Steven Matthew (Monday, November 7)

“Law given, law broken, law given again. Humanity is fickle. Unless someone keeps those rules for us, we’re never going to do it.” “— Steven Matthew (Monday, November 7)

We are approaching God when we approach the Bible. We are approaching his revelation. “— Steven Matthew (Monday, November 7)

“Your attitude is ‘an inward feeling expressed by an outward behaviour.’” — Jock James (Tuesday, November 8)

“It’s like you are a beautiful vase; you were designed for an amazing purpose. When you pour water in it, you start to put weight in the vase, if there is a hairline crack, it will crack and shatter and break.” — Jock James (Tuesday, November 8)

“What is your reputation? What is it that people say about you or think about you? That is an indication of what your character is portraying to the outside world.” — Jock James (Tuesday, November 8)

“Keep your heart pure and right! Heart disease is a major killer physically and spiritually as well.” — Jock James (Tuesday, November 8)

“If you look at the Holy Spirit through the person and ministry of Jesus, it starts to make sense.” — Steve Gambill (Tuesday, November 8)

“He doesn’t confuse people. When the Holy Spirit is abused and chaotic, that’s not the way God intends. We don’t abuse or ignore it.” — Steve Gambill (Tuesday, November 8)

“There are tensions in truth: we understand part of it, but we’ll understand it more fully when we’re face to face.” — Steve Gambill (Tuesday, November 8)

“We overdose what God is responsible for and what we are responsible for.” — Owen Crane (Wednesday, November 9)

“When you delight yourself in God, the desires in you are from Him.” — Owen Crane (Wednesday, November 9)

“What is our end goal? To provide the congregation with an atmosphere for worship.” - John Rees (Thursday, November 10)

“Don’t feel your musical ability could limit you —God is not defined by our practical gift.” – John Rees (Thursday, November 10)

“Learn to actively listen to music. Your ears are the greatest tool. If you are listening to new music, sit down and analyze and digest it.” – John Rees (Thursday, November 10)

“Timing: it is vastly underrated … learn to play with a click track and love it. The harsh thing is that it highlights when you’re not right.” - John Rees (Thursday, November 10)

“Songwriting is an amazing skill and art; arranging is an amazing art as well.” – Jock James (Thursday, November 10)

“Unless you’re leading them somewhere, you’re just standing singing songs.” – Jock James (Thursday, November 10)

“It’s not about being fake, or working something up; you have something inside you — the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is a radical worshiper! The Holy Spirit inside you is excited!” – Jock James (Thursday, November 10)

Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Do you just look at the joy and expectancy in the room, and reflect it? Or are you like a thermostat — do you set the temperature and turn it up? – Jock James (Thursday, November 10)

Most of the time, our weeks are busy: add that up, and life is busy. Sometimes in serving others, we tend to neglect time and space on our own with God. It’s no accident that God set a part a ‘day of rest’ (a Sabbath). I think it’s important for us all to personally rest at least one day a week. When I don't do that, my physical, mental and spiritual growth is stunted. But what if you, like me, are a church musician and Sunday is one of the busiest days of the week?

Four ways to practice a day of rest:

1. Choose your quiet day: pick any day!
As a pastor’s kid, my house always bustled with activity on a Sunday morning — it was the pinnacle of my week. Yes, it was the most enjoyable day, the climax and reason my week existed, it seemed! However, it wasn’t necessarily relaxing. So, if I expect to be very busy at ‘work’ with activities, people and music on a Sunday, I usually pick a different day.

My Dad (a pastor) is a good example, Wednesday is his day off. This week, Saturday is my choice. If you work on the weekend or work shift work, it may mean getting creative with choosing that quiet day of the week.

2. Say “no” to other activities
Your ‘to do’ list will always call your name. There are always people or other events who may seem like great things to do. As a ‘doer’ personality, I have to especially practice saying ‘no.’

I’m going to leave my laundry for later, my essay for later and that outing with friends for another day. If you have a family, it means saying “yes” to them and showing your kids what true rest looks like.

3. In your own way, spend time dedicated for God
There are many ways to simply slow down and dedicate that time to getting to know God more. What's your way of doing that?'

• Spend time alone in a room, just praying and talking to God
  
• Pray while doing chores around the house
• Read or study the Bible
• Sing worship songs
• Enjoy the outdoors, alone or with your family
  
• Write or listen to uplifting music
• Be inspired by a sermon online

Today, I’m pulling out a song-in-progress and spending time on my songwriting. Sue (who’s house I live in) is going for a ‘time out walk’ with God today, for example. Yes, I’m going to do my laundry but while I do that, I’m going spend time thinking about what I've learned recently in the Leadership Academy. What is God teaching me about his love today?

4. Spend time both talking and listening to God
In the Leadership Academy this week, Mark Stevens recommended some great instrumental tracks, so I followed his advice and purchased some Hammock and am loving it.

Each Saturday, I need to devote some time to learning songs on the setlist for the next day when I’m in a church band. Yet while I'm at the 'work' of learning music, I also want to consciously choose to worship with that song, letting it give me the words of prayer and worship to God.

I encourage you to turn off the noise of life this week and choose a purposeful time to relax. Wait and enjoy God's presence around you. I always need to be reminded that God’s grace and love is right there for me and that my God is a personal God, closer than I know!

This past week in the Leadership Academy at the Abundant Life Church, we had seminars on church history, personal spiritual freedom, understanding worship, and working with volunteers, to name a few. I appreciate the diversity of seminars I have every week from a variety of great speakers. Check out some quotes from last week... and don't forget to check out previous weeks' quotes: Week 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6)

“Why bother with learning church history? To avoid repeating yesterday’s mistakes. Every problem and every heresy has cropped up before.” – David Matthew (Monday, October 31)

“Unresolved personal and spiritual conflicts are barriers to our growth.” — Matt Hooper (Tuesday, Nov 1)

“If you have your mind set on pure, wholesome, healthy things; your emotions begin to follow, your actions follow and your desires follow.“ — Steven Matthew (Wednesday, November 2)

“Each leader must first know who they are before starting a church.” — Dave Niblock (Wednesday, November 2)

 “The Pharisees are the epitome of the externalization of God. They were all about keeping the rules, the laws, the regulations.” — Tim Staples (Thursday, November 3)

“You are not God’s rental property, his rental share, his time camp… God has made his home in you.” — Tim Staples (Thursday, November 3)

“What kind of harvest do you need?? Well plant the seed, choose your promises wisely and carefully, and let them deeply root themselves in your heart.” — Mark Stevens (Thursday, November 3)

“The best way to break an addiction is to get closer to God.” — Rob Hutcheson (Friday, November 4)

“It’s a God-given desire: this need for connection, for purpose, for passion, for work. For your volunteers, that’s what you’re providing.” — Abs Niblock (Friday, November 4)

“Great leadership stands still when it hears possibility. It ministers into those empty places.” — Mark Stevens (Friday, November 4)

Two days in the last week I got to be involved as a helper with some musical workshops for 9 year olds. Those sessions were a highlight for me because I a) I love kids and b) I love music and c) I enjoy being part of a great learning experience.

Having witnessed some great instructors myself, here are some tips I learned about teaching music to a group of 9 year olds.

• Bring your energy and joy to the room — smile, laugh and joke
• Even adults are still learning this basic rule: "Listen to others around you"
• Kids can't sit still doing one thing for very long, be okay with that. Switch it up and come back to the task.
• Let kids explore instruments!
• Create a few simple groundrules and stick to them
• Play musical games that teach rhythm and how to listen to the leader
• encourage, praise, and celebrate!

Whether 9 years old or almost 29 years old, it's never too late to stop learning, that's for sure!

Every two weeks, I post quotes from sessions of the Leadership Academy where I'm attending at Abundant Life Church. These classes are so great; I don't want to miss anything, so I take many notes. It's hard to pick only one quote from each session!

Week Five:

“The unifying subject of the Bible is the redemptive story of Jesus Christ.” — Stephen Matthew (Monday, October 10, 2011)

“God has show-reels of hope for you, for your future, for your community.” — Charlotte Gambill (Tuesday, October 11, 2011, Network Training Day)

“’Brother Reliable & Brother Restless’: We build departments of church that are top heavy with one of these types.” — Charlotte Gambill (Tuesday, October 11, 2011, Network Training Day)

“How much faith we have is determined by how well we know the One we put our faith in” — Matt Hooper (Wednesday, October 12, 2011)

“Relevancy is not a conscious concept. We can become irrelevant and we don’t realize it. Irrelevancy happens by accident.” — Tim Staples (Wednesday, October 12, 2011)

“We want to give God the opportunity to speak into everything at the moment. Remain free in mindset. Be willing at every cost, to question things that are said in your life. The measure that you use to hear is the measure that is given back to you.” — Mark Stevens (Wednesday, October 12, 2011)

“Singing is a muscular skill. You can develop that skill.” — Kate (Thursday, October 13, 2011)

“Reverence is not miserable, boring, doing as you’re told or controlling. It’s a heart attitude that is amazing! You can carry it with such a joy that is exciting.” — Jock James (Thursday, October 13, 2011)

“The Bible is the written record of God’s self-revelation to humankind.” — Steven Matthew (Friday, October 14, 2011)

“300 years ago…people were giving their lives, being burned at the stake for this book. Let this make you grateful that you have a Bible at all. Such a gift from God, we should not abuse it!” — Steven Matthew (Friday, October 14, 2011)

“Some of you need to understand the power and the anointing that you carry. God wants to use you and call you to connect with Him. You have to, for the sake of others. You are going to get in trouble with God if you don’t take a hold of it. ‘How dare you tell me who I can and can’t use.’…  Forget your failings, God just wants your availability — not your ability, but you’re availability! — Jock James (Saturday, October 15, 2011, Worship Training Day)

Week 6

“When John is old and reaches the end of his life, he condenses the gospel down to one line: “Beloved, love one another.” When I’ve had a bad day, I go home and read John.” — Simon Hammond (Monday, October 17, 2011)

“False Equations:
Performance + Accomplishments = Significance
Status + Recognition = Security
Appearance + Admiration = Acceptance”
-Freedom In Christ (Tuesday, October 18, 2011)

“We need to ditch our old way of thinking, not simply add our Christian beliefs to it.” — Matt Hooper (Tuesday, October 18, 2011)

Rest of the week: Urban Angels Fashion Show

Read Quotes from Academy Lectures, Week 1 and 2 and Week 3 and 4.

I have recently come from Canada to the Abundant Life Church’s Leadership Academy, where I'm experiencing new people, new songs, new leadership, and I'm still in the process of developing new friends. The most significant is joining new music teams.

To give you some context, I've come from a church of 400 to a church of 2,000. Here, I'm blessed to be surrounded by amazing musicians, many of whom are professional musicians outside of church as well. Currently, I’ve begun playing in up to three different new bands (Academy, youth and Sunday main band), ranging from inexperienced to very professional. I've been learning a lot from this! (Check out RPM's YouTube here.)

Regardless of the musical setting you find yourself in, there are four essential principles for how to join a new church worship band.

1. Admit your weaknesses and laugh at yourself.
We’ve all got flaws. Admit it. Musicians have egos, I know I do. It’s easy to think we must prove ourselves to our new band: this is insecurity. When we base our security on our skill and musicianship, we will always find someone better than ourselves and our ego will be damaged.

Even the Apostle Paul, who is known for his preaching and church planting, did not profess to be some super-eloquent speaker. “When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom.” (1 Corinthians 2:1)

I know one of my weaknesses is memorizing chords, so rather than try to hide it, I tackle my musical weaknesses. I’m open about it and work extra hard outside of practice.

2. Commit to attending every practice, whether or not you’re scheduled on the team
If you do this, you will observe a lot that new teams may not articulate to you. Notice team dynamics, sound-check logistics, and rehearsal process. Who are the natural musical leaders? What are the names of all the sound technicians? What are the various worship leaders’ styles of directing? Which equipment is used where?

Attending every practice helps you get to know fellow musicians quicker. It’s also important to demonstrate to yourself, God, and others that you are willing to sacrifice your time and put your own schedule aside.

3. Be a learner
We all come with our own musical perspective as to what’s good, but chances are, the band you are joining knows a lot that you don’t!

• Learn the songs in the church's playlist. Spend lots of time outside of practice getting up to speed on the songs regularly played. If you know the set list in advance of a practice, it’s a good idea to learn any songs before rehearsal.
• Learn the song arrangements how the team plays them. Don’t necessarily offer suggestions for changing arrangements unless the band is open to that. Submit yourself to learning the song the way the band already plays in their church.
• Learn spiritually. Listen carefully to any words of wisdom that leaders or fellow musicians give, and apply them. Share yourself by asking personal questions you have worship or your Christian life. Genuinely seek to grow in your walk with God. Don’t keep internal questions to yourself; open up who you are to your new leaders and band mates.
  

4. Get to know the people behind the musicians
In a new church, it's easy to feel lost in the crowd. Start with getting to know your new band mates. If they have kids, ask about them. Ask about their jobs, what they do and their hobbies. If you have a chance to meet their partner, do so. Playing in a new worship team is not just about songs; it’s about committing to serving alongside and sharing life with new musician friends. To truly become a friend means showing interest and caring about that person’s life.

I’ve been the recipient of this. Because I have been shadowing rehearsals (even when I’m not playing), I’ve met a singer who has befriended me. What started out as a chat about fashion has turned into a true friendship. I’ve gotten to know her, and then found out that her husband and two kids are also awesome. Now, I get to share a meal each week with this family.

God knew that I would need new friends in a new environment, and He provided. Yet, it’s important that I be open to the change, open to new relationships, and to take opportunities as they come. 

New settings can be intimidating, especially if you don’t know anyone. How do you get over that initial hurdle of ‘newness’, whether it's a new band, a new job, or a new church?

Just saw a flippin hilarious YouTube clip of my friends Nathan & Gabe Finochio and some of the Hillsong guys leading "Father Abraham." For those of you who didn't learn this childhood classic, you missed out.

Anyways, the Finochio brothers are not only hilarious dudes, but they make awesome music. Check out The Royal's site here!

Click play below to listen to "Child Sleeping" one of the tunes from my ep that Nathan Finochio produced.