CAUSE, CREATIVITY, & COMMUNITY
Have you ever tried to do something meaningful and important on your own? Without any help from a friend, or a handy book, or a consultation with someone knowledgeable?
I remember when we had our first child, Eliana. She’s four now, and I thank God for her bright, artistic, and imaginative nature (and that she survived)! But before we had her, we took a class at the local hospital. It was four weeks of practice breathing, teachings about labor and delivery, and videos of live childbirth (the women were fine, the men looked terrified). Before I took that class, the fact that we were going to have a baby seemed far in the distance, blurry and fuzzy, made unfocused by not knowing what to expect, and by the anxiety and fear that accompanies new things.
But after that class? I wouldn’t say I was ready. But I felt more prepared. And more equipped.
This blog exists to do that. To help prepare you, to help equip you, to give you the tools you need and the relationships you’ll enjoy as you lead and participate in this thing we call worship. This blog exists so that as you help create space for people to enjoy intimacy with God in worship, you’re not doing it on your own.
In the weeks and months coming, you’ll find lots of different posts: features on folks involved with worship, tidbits from seasoned worship leaders, trainings on our values, video blog entries, and more. But all of these posts will be roughly organized in these three vital categories.
CAUSE: What are our deeply held values? How are they transmitted? What’s important to us? What should we consider as we lead our churches into God’s presence?
COMMUNITY: We are a family, bonded together by our faith in Jesus, and also our tribe, the Vineyard. How do we grow as this family? How can we connect more? How can we become known and how can we know each other better?
CREATIVITY: We are made in the image of a Creator. Part of what that means is that we also create. And when we do create artifacts like new songs, new art, new prose and poetry, we do it in a very localized context:, our local church, ensconced here in the beautiful Northeast. The creation of these artifacts by local worship people and artists helps our churches in their lovely uniqueness express their hearts to God. (And often does it in a way that is profoundly home).
Listen, leading worship well, leading worship ministries well, and doing the hard work of creating space for intimacy is terribly important. We need it. Often, people experience God’s love and goodness in worship before they fully engage with the rest of the fully orbed Christian life. That means that what you and I are doing week to week is worthy of our best. I hope this blog draws that out of you and me.
Take a moment and think about what’s helped you along the way. Comment below and let us know so we can all benefit from us. And if you have any ideas about what you’d love to see here, include that in your comment.
So let’s do this together! Subscribe and join us on the journey. We’re here for you and we’re here with you. Love you all.
Ted
