Set List from February 6 & 7
1. Everlasting God – Lincoln Brewster
2. O Praise Him – David Crowder
3. We Are Hungry – Steve Fee
4. You Never Let Go – Matt Redman
Sunday Set List
February 8, 2010 by JonLEAD Worship
February 5, 2010 by JonWorship leaders, when you’re leading people into worship through music, you’ve got their attention for 20 +/- minutes while you’re up there. I know I don’t have to explain the significance of the responsibility you carry. Or the weight that comes with being given the task of leading people into God’s presence. I know we’re all aware of that. But, what I do want to challenge you with is to make the most of the time you’ve got in front of your people.
We can do so much more than to just lead the people to sing the songs we’re playing. So why not really step into leading them? Don’t always be content with just getting on stage and letting the music carry the worship set. Find those strategic moments where you can insert God’s Truth, God’s Word into their hearts. Whether it’s in the middle of a song, or setting up a song, or closing. Whatever. Prepare enough in advance to know what Scriptures you could use at certain points in your set. Think and pray through what you’re going to say before getting up there. The Holy Spirit can move just as much in your preparation as he can on stage in the moment. So why not be prepared on the front end, and then be open to his leading when your up there?
We challenge ourselves in this area a lot. We think through every transition we make in and out of each song. We ask if there needs to be anything said, Scripture read, Scripture quoted, a prayer prayed, or just go directly into the next song. We write those verbal transitions out (whatever they may be, and whenever they may fall in the set), and set them to memory.
And be creative. Actually put thought into what you say. Don’t just settle for an opening, “Welcome to church, stand to your feet and worship with us” every single week. You’ve got their attention for a short amount of time, so make the most of it. Make every one of your words count that you speak from stage. So instead, open with an actual call to worship. Tell them where you’re going that day in worship. Remind them why they are there. Proclaim the works of God to steer their hearts in the right direction. Open up by letting Ps. 8, Ps.48, Ps. 103 direct your words. Sometimes people are showing up with the weight of the world on their shoulders, and they need a little help getting focused. That’s your job – that’s why you’re a worship leader. Don’t allow people under your ministry to simply show up and sing songs like they did Friday night at karaoke. God wants to do more there. So speak life into your congregation. Don’t waste the opportunity to lead.
If you’ve attended Elevation before, or joined us online for a worship experience, you know that we aren’t ones to get up there and ramble on either. We don’t misuse our time or platform. Some weeks we may not say much at all from the stage. But I can guarantee that what we did say was thought out and prayed over. And once again, if you’re not sure where to start with your “verbal transitions,” start in the Word of God. Quote it over your people. Read it out loud to them. That won’t let you down.
So that’s my call for you to make the most of every opportunity you have while leading your people. Put more thought into what you say. Please. Your people will appreciate the leadership.
[ht: Elevation Worship Blog]
Sunday Set List
February 5, 2010 by JonSet List from January 30 & 31
1. With or Without You – U2
2. Spring of Life – Kristian Stanfill
3. Center – Charlie Hall
4. Be Thou My Vision – PLC Arrangement
5. Captivate Us – Christy Nockels
6. How He Loves – Jesus Culture
The Stand
January 22, 2010 by JonSince I haven’t had a chance this week to do “When The Music Fades: Worship Recap”.. I thought I’d post a video of the song we closed our services with last weekend. The Stand. This is a great worship tune, and fit perfectly for what we were challenging our people with last weekend. Musically, it was a different type of weekend for us, but God used it in a huge way.
Weekend Set:
1. Headphones – Jars of Clay
2. All Around Me – Flyleaf
3. My Surrender – Steven Curtis Chapman
4. The Stand – Hillsong United
It was a great weekend. People engaged. God was glorified.
When The Music Fades #40
January 5, 2010 by Jon
January 2 & 3 Worship Set:
1. New Year – Hall
2. Rise and Sing – Fee
3. Everlasting God – Brewster
4. Here I am to Worship – Tomlin
5. We Are Hungry – Fee
How was your Sunday? What songs did you guys do?
2010
January 4, 2010 by JonIt’s a new year. Can you believe it? It seems like just yesterday when everyone was freaking out about Y2k and how the world was going to end. And here we are bringing in a new decade.
I’m glad to see 2009 go, and looking forward to what 2010 is going to bring. As my good friend Charlie Hall says in his song…
“This is a new year, this is a new day to rise shine, lift up your eyes. This is a new year, this is a new day to rise shine, and point the way to God’s great life.”
PLC Staff Christmas Party
December 22, 2009 by Jon
Tonight we had our all staff Prairie Lakes Church Christmas party. We had almost 90 people tonight (including staff spouses) jam into Pastor John and Kay Fuller’s house, including the biggest ‘White Elephant’ gift exchange I’ve ever been a part of.
It was a great time with lots of food and lost of laughter, and just reminded me again how blessed Michelle and I are to have moved here, serve with such incredible people, and be a part of such an awesome church.
Random Thoughts at 11:57am
December 11, 2009 by JonLifemusicministry.com is alive and Jonlloydblog.com has been put to rest. Those of you who read my blog and subscribe, make sure to make the change back to Lifemusicministry.com.
Friday is my day off. Needless to say, I’m enoying today.
We had our first “Iowa” snow storm on Tuesday and Wednesday that dumped 14-18 inches of snow in most of the area around here. It’s been years (and not since I lived in Illinois) since I’ve seen a snow storm like this. I saw our neighbor this morning, and he said it’s the worst blizzard he’s seen in 20 years up here. The kids around here have been enjoying the snow and playing outside. I’ve even thought about hooking our huskies up to a sled and letting them take me for a ride. 
Last weekend (December 5 & 6) was my first weekend leading at Prairie Lakes Church. We have 3 weekend services and all of them went really well, especially the two on Sunday morning. It feels great to be back leading worship (on a regular basis). For those of you who have been following my blog for the last 3 years, I’m going to be bringing back “When The Music Fades – Worship Confessional.” Stay tuned for them in a couple weeks!
The Suns have been struggling a bit over the last week or so. Their schedule for the month of December is brutal. They play the Magic tonight. It would be a nice win if they can pull it out.
So.. Christmas is 2 weeks from today. It is coming so quickly this year it feels like. I’m not ready yet, are you?
Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff
December 3, 2009 by JonThoughts from a post on my dad’s blog…
How many times have we found ourselves running around in circles trying to take care of every ‘little’ issue, problem, or situation that comes our way? We feel like the man in the circus routine who is trying to keep 10 plates all spinning at the same time. About the time he gets five or six plates spinning, one falls and breaks. By the time he gets that one replaced and spinning, another falls. This man feels hopelessly trapped in an exercise of futility!
Don’t sweat the small stuff! I mean, evaluate the issues that need to be addressed by your leadership and make sure that you are saving your best energies and focus for those really ‘big’, ‘important’ issues! I have seen so many leaders who are completely exhausted, frazzled, befuddled, and worn out because they are trying to take care of every little thing that comes along. The result is that they become distracted, they lose focus, they become fatigued, and discouragement sets in. When you spend spend all of your energies on things that you feel are ‘urgent’, then you never have the energy and focus for the really ‘important’ things that need your attention!
The secret to being a good leader is asking God for the wisdom to discern what the really ‘important’ issues are that call for your personal attention, your best energy and single-minded focus! At the end of the day, all of us have lots of issues that must be dealt with…but, we want to make sure that the ‘important’ things are being done! What will help each of us as leaders is to take ‘the long look’ at life, our work, our goals, our leadership–and press on with all of our energies towards those things that will really matter and count! A lot of things we need to say, “No”, to! A lot of things do not need our immediate attention. Don’t allow yourself to get ’sucked dry’ by meaningless things!
Stay strong! Stay focused! Give your BEST every day! Trust God with everything!!!
