Top 20 Songs of 2011

Here’s a list of the 20 most frequently used songs in 2011 at Prairie Lakes Church (Cedar Falls campus).

1. Forever Reign
2. Give Me Faith
3. Glory To God Forever
4. Salvation Is Here
5. Stronger
6. Sweetly Broken
7. Our God
8. Hosanna
9. Cannons
10. Beautiful Jesus
11. King of Glory
12. Spring of Life
13. God Is Able
14. How He Loves
15. Always
16. Mighty to Save
17. Come Thou Fount
18. The Eternal One
19. Your Grace Is Enough
20. Jesus Paid It All

What songs from this list did you do frequently at your church?

Don’t Let Others Dictate Your Passion

Ever step into a room and find that people aren’t as passionate as you are? You feel like Jesus is coming back in five minutes and it seems everyone else is sleeping?

Sometimes we can allow the passion level of who we are with, dictate how we will be. As a worship leader, I succumb to this all too often. I’ll be excited to press into the presence of God and it seems no one wants to come with me.

Do I lead the way with my passion for God or just relax?

What should you do?

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11).

I love this verse. Fervent means to have great intensity. Our zeal for Jesus should be burning hot at all times. When it is not, we should cry out to God and press into Him even harder.

Here’s my challenge: Don’t let other dictate your passion level for Jesus. Be a leader. I’ve heard it said to be a thermostat, not a thermometer.

If you live this way, you will bring others to a higher level.

Weekend Rewind 10.29-30

Follow // Wk 2

Set List…
1. I’ll Be There For You – The Rembrandts
2. Salvation is Here – Hillsong
3. Always – Kristian Stanfill
4. God is Able – Hillsong
5. The Stand – Hillsong

Weekend Rewind 10.15-16

A Better Story // Wk 5

Set List…
1. Glory to God Forever – Fee
2. Our God – Chris Tomlin
3. Forever Reign – Hillsong
4. I Stand Amazed – Passion
5. Hosanna – Hillsong
6. Mighty to Save – Hillsong

Random Thoughts at 1:07am

I’m awake. My iPad is on. So let’s do this…

• It’s officially fall around these parts (although it is gonna be a bit warmer this week) with cooler temps and the leaves turning gorgeous colors. There’s this one particular tree in our neighborhood that is such a radiant yellow. Every time I drive by I always grab for my iPhone to snap a picture but always am to late. I love the fall, the colors, the weather, the season.
• On a sports note, the Yankees have got to get some better pitching if they want to go deep in the playoffs. And, NBA training camps should’ve started yesterday. However, the League is locked out because the owners and players can’t come to terms over the new collective bargaining agreement. Come on people.. you are owners and players, both of whom makes millions of dollars. Let’s get something done, seriously.
• We had our first round auditions last week at church and we’ll be having our second round auditions coming up in about 2 weeks. Looking forward to the potential of new musicians joining our team. We are in a season where we currently have 3 campuses and will be launching at least one more next year (with the possibility of two). So, the more talented musicians the better.
• My parents are coming in to town for the weekend. So excited to see them! It’s been several months since we’ve seen them. This is the first time over the past two years (since we’ve been in Iowa) where we haven’t lived close to either sides of our family.  It’s tough sometimes, but it makes us cherish the moments we get to spend with our family all the more.
• I love my Gretsch guitar.
• I’m actually really digging the new Switchfoot and Foster The People albums.
• I’m listening to Lowercase Noises as I write this blog. Do yourself a favor, if you like post-rock, ambient, instrumental type of music, you would love these guys. I could listen to them all day.
• I do tend to be a night owl.. but, I think it’s time to get some shut eye. Goodnight.

What A Night

Wow! Last night was an amazing night of musical worship. The spirit and energy in the room was incredible! Right from the opening chorus of 10,000 Reasons people came ready to sing out and engage with our Creator!

For those who weren’t there, we had an experience in the middle of the night which featured Light Pillars we created that represented each of Prairie Lakes Church campuses.  On each of these Pillars we had prayer requests along with unique challenges that each campus is facing. We created space with about 8-10 minutes of ambient instrumental music to allow people to get out of their seats and go to each pillar and interact with them. It was really moving to see so many people move around the worship center and engage with these pillars.

God’s name was made more famous last night.

“In the path of Your justice Lord, we wait for You; with all our being, we long for your name and Your acclaim.” (Isaiah 26:8)

Thank you to everyone who came out!

For those that have been asking, here’s the setlist:

1. 10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) – Matt Redman
2. The Eternal One – Jon Lloyd
3. Salvation is Here – Hillsong/Brewster
4. Everlasting God – Phil Wickhan
5. Forever Reign – Hillsong
6. No One Higher/The Stand – Hillsong
**Campus Experience w/ Light Pillars (Instrumental)**
7. The Church – Elevation Worship
8. Always – Kristian Stanfill
9. Sweetly Broken – Jeremy Riddle
10. Stronger – Hillsong
11. Revelation Song – Jesus Culture
12. From The Inside Out – Hillsong/PLC Arrangement
13. In Christ Alone – PLC Arrangement
14. God Of This City – Chris Tomlin

(A special thanks to our Tech teams and Volunteers. We couldn’t do what we do with out you guys.)

Be Bold

As I was reading the other day, this verse punched me right in the face.

Listen to this… “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:16

When I read this, it’s like the word bold jumped off the page right towards me. I felt like God was saying are you bold? My first thought was like, well yea.. I mean.. sorta.. I mean, sometimes.. well, if it doesn’t make me uncomfortable..

I just found myself making excuses.
I realized I’m not as bold as I think I am.
I realized that I don’t come boldly to His throne enough.
I realized I probably tip-toe into His presence, instead of running towards Him with my arms wide open.
It got me thinking.

I decided look up the word Bold:

Dictionary.com’s definition of Bold is this: not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff. Not hesitating to break the rules of propriety (propriety means the establishment or good behaviors/manners).

Do you seek God with boldness? Or are you unsure of how to approach Him?

Do you respond to God with boldness? Or are you timid?
Do you worship Him with boldness? Or do you just stand there afraid of what other people are going to think if you raise your hands, or clap, or sing out really loud?

As followers of Jesus we are called to be humble, to put others above ourselves, to have a servants heart. But I think we confuse those attributes on occasion to mean we can’t be outwardly expressive, display confidence or be assured of ourselves and what we believe. I think of Paul, Peter, and John. They are prime examples of people who were bold, brash, and confident. And you know, many people didn’t like that. They ruffled feathers. Especially the religious leaders of the time. They couldn’t stand it. I bet if these guys were living in our time, they would cause quite a ruckus in the church. They didn’t care what peoples perception of them was, only God’s. They weren’t people pleasers. They were themselves. They were bold and confident because of who Christ was and what He did for them.

To often we think that in order to be humble or meek or reverent, we can’t be bold, upfront, direct, confident, etc.  When, we absolutely can be humble followers of Christ, yet still be bold and confident of who we are, because of who God is and what He’s done for us.

I think to often we hide behind fear.
Behind pride.
Behind failure.
Behind weakness.
Behind traditions.
Behind what people think.
Behind what we think is right.

Here’s the antonyms of bold…
afraid.
cowardly.
fearful.
shy.
timid.

Yep. I don’t want to be like that. You don’t want to be like that.

God is calling you to come to Him with boldness.
God is calling you to live your life with boldness.
God is calling you to worship and praise Him with boldness.

Remember.. he says, we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
That means you have permission. He will cover you.
When you need it the most it’s there.
If someone thinks you’re being to audacious, to forward, to brave.. that’s ok.

Maybe that means people don’t understand you.
Maybe that means you ruffle feathers.
Maybe that means you do things differently.
Maybe that means you upset the establishment.
And, maybe it will cost you.

God is calling you to do this.
He expects it. So should we.
Don’t hold back. Serisouly. Don’t.

Be Bold.