Heart Soul and Might

For the last couple weeks, I’ve been showing my five-year-old Josiah a few basics on the piano. Basically using three fingers starting on middle C… I still think he’s too young for formal lessons, but it’s been fun to see him picking up some things at such a young age.

This morning we had an interaction that reminded me a lot about life.

A few weeks back, I decided to resurrect some Scott Joplin material, so I’ve been practicing “The Maple Leaf Rag” here and there when I have a few moments. I’ve gotten it to where it sounds great, and it’s a lot of fun to play. It’s one of those classics that most people would recognize if they heard it. Not the easiest song, but of course practice delivers results, right?

Well, this morning I sat down with Josiah to have him play his 3-note scale and he did so well that I added fingers 4 and 5 as well, so now he can play a 5-note scale up and back down. He picked it up quick! I asked him to practice three times - and I welled up with excitement as I saw him negotiating his fingers on each key. He did it perfectly the first time! So, I said to him “Ok, two more times, Jo-Jo.” His next comment floored me, and I knew we were moving into a teachable moment.

Sitting on the piano bench, he turned around to me and said, “Now I wanna do some hard stuff, dad.”

I said, “What hard stuff?” and he said “The song you were just playing. Show me what to play, and I’ll play it.”

I got down on my knees and looked him in the eye and said “Josiah, you have to learn the easy stuff first and keep working on it before you can learn to play the hard stuff.” His eyes deflated, and he leaned his head down on the piano keys and said “But Dad, I really want to play the hard stuff.” So we spent the next couple minutes talking about how Daddy needed to work hard for years on the “easy stuff” before he could ever start to play the “hard stuff.” He wasn’t too excited about that prospect in that moment, so he jumped off the piano bench and went back to playing with his rubber crocodile.

It reminded me of life and growing to maturity in Christ… I’ll let you make the connection as it relates to you personally…

This weekend I was honored to be invited to speak at a SAM Retreat (Songwriters, Artists and Musicians) at Deer Run Retreat Center (pictured here) in Franklin, TN. Sponsored by Indieheaven.com, there were the maximum 40 artists - many of them indie artists who are members of Indieheaven.com. Deer Run is a beautiful facility, managed by Rick and Angel Bowles who are really developing this place into a premier camp and retreat facility.

After an amazing dinner last night, I gave a talk entitled “Aren’t We All Worshippers?” - where I unpacked passionately staying alive to God’s glory. What a great audience to speak to since everyone there was at the very least a passionate musician and most are passionate about their calling to exalt the glory of God through their music. A LOT of talent was packed in that room! I focused on keeping our ears and eyes open to the glory of God in all that He has made, having a BIG view of who God is. If we see God as the great, transcendent and awesome God that He is, it can’t help but spill out of us in our life-response of worship and influence others to see God in this way as well. I shared a couple of Clyde Kilby’s resolutions for staying alive to God’s glory…

Following a short time of Q&A, Rick introduced Shaun Groves who spoke on songwriting…although definitely not the stereotypical songwriting talk. Most recognize Groves as a great songwriter… but Shaun is a GREAT speaker… and obviously well-read and studied, especially in God’s word. He talked about having the perspective of being “Kingdom People” in our songwriting. Understanding that God, through Christ, has ushered in the Kingdom of God and its our job to lift this good news in our music. Shaun did a masterful job expositing from the beatitudes in Matthew 6. I won’t attempt to expound on it, but he said he’s writing a book on it, so I’d recommend getting his book when it comes out!

Following the song critique session, we had a great time listening to Brent Lamb in concert. He’s a hilarious guy and had us laughing a lot of the time… but he’s also a great songwriter and has penned good ole’ CCM favorites of the past like Steven Curtis Chapman’s “My Turn Now”, Harvest’s “Army of the Lord”, Steve Green’s “Household of Faith” and others. He also had a bunch of success as the lead singer of Grammy Award-winning Shenandoah a few years back. Brent did a kind of career highlight revue of many of his songs and concluded with what he called his legacy - “The Booger Song.” We were rolling on the ground. Here are the lyrics.

Technorati Tags: Deer Run Retreat Center, Indieheaven.com, Shaun Groves, Brent Lamb, Shenandoah, worship, songwriting, artists, music, God

Resurgence posts an interesting article called “Music in the Church.” Click here to read it.

1. God Is the Master Musician and He Is Supremely Competent in the Arena of Music

2. Scripture Provides Abundant Evidence of God’s Interest in Music 

Excerpt:

Think about this for a moment. Why do lovers often sing to one another? Is it not to draw out the expression of their thoughts and feelings? To express themselves with more humanness? In this they reflect the glory of God in differing ways. God has filled this world with sounds and pitch of all types. There is meaning in all of this. Man exercises a certain function of his dominion over the creation through his making and using of music (Gen. 1:26). In the worship of God man uses this special gift in a most direct and sacred manner. My prayer is that we who influence the church will seek after God and praise Him in accord with His revealed Word. My hope is that we will make good and proper use of music for the glory of God.

We had a very sweet time of worship, prayer and hanging out this morning with some of the worship leaders here at Fellowship. We try to get together monthly for a time like this and realized that it doesn’t happen as often as it should, and we’ll try harder… But this morning was very cool. We’re very blessed and fortunate at Fellowship to have some very talented worship leaders - many of whom also happen to be successful artists in Christian music. And they don’t wear their talent or success on their sleeve, but rather have deep hearts of longing to seek the Lord and honor Him with their lives. It’s a privilege to partner with them, and to have the chance to sit around in a circle with our Bibles and guitars for a time of worship and prayer is something I hope I never take for granted.

Two of the guys in that circle are Jason Germain and Marc Martel, half of the group Downhere. They come from Canada and recently signed a record deal with Centricity Records. I’ve known them for a number of years since they were with Word and they’ve sung in a couple choirs I’ve directed here at Fellowship over the years. I say all that to say that even though they’ve won Dove Awards and the Canadian version of the Grammy, they are just your normal (albeit very artistic and creative) guys that love Jesus and want to know Him. But, they happen to be two of the most creatively talented guys on the planet. Incredible songwriters. If you aren’t familiar with their music, you need to check out their website - Downhere.com - where you can get their CDs and read up on who they are.

After we spent some time in prayer and lifted up our hearts together in worship, I asked if anyone had a new song to share. We had a laugh because in Nashville, you don’t normally hear the word “share” associated with songs… The more appropriate word is usually “showcase”. But obviously, that word didn’t really fit a group 7 guys with guitars sitting around in a circle singing worship songs, so I guess they really did “share”… (smile)
Jason gave me their demo of this song last year when they were just getting started working on their soon-to-be-released record “Wide Eyed and Mystified”. It was incredible then. And it was a special moment this morning when they played their guitars together and wove their distinctly unique harmonies to create “A Better Way” for us. Go to www.centricityrecords.com to listen. Read this lyric and be blessed. But be sure to buy their record and listen to one of the best bands around. This song is a beautiful presentation of the gospel in a really creative way. You need to hear it to fully grasp it.

A Better Way

I’m not alone, I really believe
You never go, You never leave
Here and now, You always stay
“I love you” could not be said a better way

It’s everything You’ve promised
There’s no greater love than this
From prophets until today
A man laying down His life for His friends
Your sacrifice has spoken, You gave everything
And “I love you” could not be said
A better way

I am forgiven, I clearly see
It’s why You came to do all you did for me
Trading earth with heaven, You took my place
“I love you” could not be said
A better way

Because You redeem, I know what’s to come
Everything I could lose here, You’ve already won
So You have my surrender, with passion obey
“I love you” could not be said
A better way

I found out today that you must be a worshiptogether.com newsletter subscriber to download “In the Cross Alone I Glory” for free. You can sign up for the newsletter and then download the song.

If you are unable to download it, or don’t want to sign up for the newsletter - but still want to listen to the song… Please email me at bpetak@fbctn.org and I’ll send you an .mp3.

Another great post on Together for the Gospel blog by Mark Dever. Taking a page from Martin Luther, he writes this:

“I have no use for cranks who despise music,
because it is a gift of God.
Music drives away the Devil and makes people gay;
they forget thereby all wrath, unchastity, arrogance, and the like.
Next after theology,
I give to music the highest place and the greatest honor.”

Martin Luther. (Quoted by Martin Marty, Martin Luther, p. 114.)

Continuing my March celebration of Martin Luther, aren’t his words about music here true?

After theology.

I love the spirit behind this quote. Music has a way of touching the affections that most other means don’t. As we often say, worship isn’t about music. It’s about God. It’s about combining truth with a multitude of means to bring ultimate glory to God and reflect all praise to Him. That said, there IS something special about the gift of music - and it is a gift from God. There are moments - and I’m sure most of us can remember one or two or more - where it is as if we’ve touched the face of God through music. What a truly incredible gift from the hand of the Father. Music isn’t worship. But music definitely is a means by which we are able to elevate our thoughts to the Father and express heartfelt adoration and praise in a way like no other.

After theology, of course.

(HT: Together For the Gospel)