Those who live in the great and beautiful state of Alaska have a daily exposure to some of the greatest and most epic geography on earth. Everyday on my short commute to work, the rugged Chugach mountains tower over me just mere miles from away. At this time in the year, the birch trees are…
There are certain personalities that are driven by an eye for details, and then there are personalities that thrive at seeing the bigger picture. Every once in a while, you’ll find a person who seems to be equipped with a balance of both these abilities, but I’ve found—at least in my own experience—that one or…
It is quite dramatic to see how our society has changed in the last few decades. Words that had a particular meaning now mean something totally different. Button down shirts in more formal settings would never have been left untucked. Now the most up to style shirts are designed to be untucked. Pronouns used in…
I still recall the panic-stricken look on his face. Our beloved Pastor and Worship leader here at Anchorage Grace Church, Nathan Schneider, had just realized the dreadful reality for any Worship leader. It was Sunday morning and the sound system was not working! Not ideal to say the least. When this was discovered it was…
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1) Worship is not an easy topic to navigate in the church. Think of it as a minefield. Strewn across the landscape are hundreds…even thousands…of…
Books on worship are in sharp surplus these days. Just do a search of Google or Amazon and see how many books and articles come up regarding Christian worship and you’ll see how vast is the ocean of thought on the subject of worship. (And, ironically, you can add this blog post to the list!)…
As a worship pastor, it’s my responsibility and privilege to think carefully about what we sing as a local church. Corporate worship is immensely important, and overwhelmingly theological. When we sing as a congregation, we are speaking our theology in unison together. That reality should be profoundly efficacious to you as a believer. For one,…
When you really think about it, music is very powerful. Isn’t it amazing how you can hear a song that you have not heard in 20 plus years and suddenly you are transported to a moment in time where this song brings back a memory or pleasant feeling?Who among us has not expressed, “I have…
The group was Blue Swede, the year was 1974, and the song was “Hooked on a Feeling”. The Swedish pop group’s recording of that song, originally recorded by B.J. Thomas in 1968, then re-recorded by British singer Jonathan King in 1971, reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. The song, “Hooked on…
