Archive for the ‘Worship’ Category
New Worship Environment for Origin- YMCA Gymnasium
Posted: August 24, 2010 in WorshipTags: origin church, Worship, YMCA
Why We Do What We Do @ Origin
Posted: June 19, 2010 in WorshipTags: Andy Stanley, origin church, Worship
Ever wondered if there was a method to the madness? Why does Origin Church do silly games, run funny videos, cover popular songs? Why is there a song at the end of the service sometimes or the beginning of the service? The thoughts below were penned by Andy Stanley and certainly could not be improved upon for us here at Origin…….so enjoy. Ecclesiastes says, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Thanks Andy for formulating this so eloquently for many of us.
QUESTION NO MORE, MY FRIENDS!
There is in fact a template, if you will, of our services. We call it “Rules of Engagement”. This is by no means “the right way” or “the only way”. It’s just “a” way that works for us to reach the person that has never been to church or who has been away from church for awhile.
You’ll notice that this is a funnel. Think of that as you read. We start wide and gradually narrow. You have to cast a wide net in order to get the fish!
I. Pre-Service
It all starts with the pre-service experience from the parking lot, to greeters, to the pre-service music. We want attenders to feel welcome and comfortable. We think through what it would feel like to be in their shoes.
II. Opener
In the opener we try and accomplish recognition, common ground (emotion) and fun. Often times this is a song – but it doesn’t have to be. It can be a funny video. The thought behind this comes from the man, himself, Jesus. In Luke 15:1-6, Jesus finds common ground for both sinner and saint. He strikes an emotion by relating to them with something that has happened to everyone.
III. Welcome
We want to welcome people to our house, not bore them with information they can easily find on the website or watch on the screen.
IV. Singing
At this point, we invite people to sing with us. They may not know the words – so we put them on the screens. We love to sing about how great our God is!
V. Baptisms
Although, baptisms do not happen every Sunday, it’s a great way to involve an attender by letting them hear someone else’s story, that may be similar to their own. No one is perfect, but God’s grace is. This is our time to celebrate growing relationships with Christ!
VI. Special
A special song about the message rarely happens because it has to create (not solve) tension. It has to set up the message. Sometimes, there is that perfect song that is the perfect set up for the speaker and it’s a great tool to use to narrow the focus even more.
VII. Message
This is where we begin to challenge people and hopefully inspire life change. It may be uncomfortable, but hopefully they are more open to hearing or listening because they were made comfortable by the very 1st step they took out of their car almost 45 minutes ago.
VIII. Closer
This is a song that punctuates the message. Often it is a popular song you have heard on the radio. Sometimes, it is a worship song.
Obviously there’s a lot more detail that I have left out like song order and even a funnel within the funnel for the message.
-Andy Stanley
American Idol Winner/Worship Leader
Posted: May 22, 2009 in Uncategorized, WorshipTags: american idol, kris allen, Worship
God has ways, huh? Cool!
1. Keep in mind that our Sunday service is a foyer environment. That means that not only do we want to provide a place for believers to worship and learn, but we also want to provide an environment where someone can attend church for the first time and have such a great experience that they want to come back. We call it being sensitive to the “folded arms” principle. Outsiders often come to church with “folded arms.” A funny video clip and a top 40 song can immediately release one or both of their skeptical folded arms. Very few of us have ever laughed every week at church, and/or heard a top 40 song that related to the message or theme of the day. Remember, we want to create a church that unchurched people would like to attend, so on Sundays our focus is on making outsiders feel welcome. Foyer simply means, that if you relate that to a home, the foyer is the place where people stand while they chat, and begin to get to know you.
2. We want to create an environment that is familiar to an outsider. When a person attends church for the first time, we want them to recognize the feel of the place. They may have never been to church, but they’ve been to a concert. And most of the concerts they’ve been to are even louder than Origin! So when they walk in and see drums and guitars, and when they feel the bass thump them in the chest, they immediately get a familiar, welcoming, and positive feeling about the place.
3. We want to make sure the average person (who is uncomfortable singing) can sing and still feel like no one can hear them. Let’s face it, lots of people don’t sing in church. Why? Because they don’t sing well, and they know people around them can hear them. And usually the lights are up so high that they know everyone can turn and see who is singing so badly. When the music is loud, people tend to sing more and forget about the people around them, because they know no one can hear them. And with the lights low, no one can see them either. Louder music actually encourages people to sing.
3. We want to maintain a volume that makes the band comfortable. We have some of the best worship leaders and musicians anywhere around here coming to Origin, and we do that intentionally. We like presenting people a variety of worship leaders that can use their gifts to take us all one step closer to Jesus. It’s almost as if we have all of these worship leaders as adjunct parts of the Origin Church, because they ALL believe in the vision we are trying to accomplish. They fit our fabric. In fact, can you imagine what heaven will be like in this regard? We want them to play like they mean it, and that means letting them rock it. Because if the musicians are comfortable, then their music is going to be even higher in quality.
Tony Morgan had some great insight along the line of what our new tradition in church music is becoming. Hymns used to be the tradition; now it’s rock and pop in our new churches; However, according to itunes, 1 in 3 of the top 100 songs in the country is either:
1. Hip-Hop/Rap
2. R&B/Soul
Not many churches tapping in yet, huh? Worship leaders, start adding in this in to your abilities to lead worship. One-third of the country likes this stuff! So do I! Let’s don’t get out of date and become ineffective!
One Of The Great’s For Me Right Now
Posted: January 12, 2009 in WorshipTags: gateway worship, kari jobe, revelation song live
We’ll, indeed, do this one at Origin! Love it! Can the girl sing, or what?
“Revelation Song” LIVE with Gateway Worship- Kari Jobe
One of My Favorite Worship Songs Right Now
Posted: November 29, 2008 in WorshipTags: fear, matt redman, music, Worship
This is a great picture of my good friend, John Buckner and his band, The Buckner Brothers, playing at the fabulous Blues Train Cafe in Dalton, GA. John has played with some of the most talented and gifted musicians around the nation. Matter of fact, he is one of those talented and gifted musicians! He’s amazing! John will be our music production team leader here at Origin Church. He will be building a depth chart of some of the great musicians available in our area of all genres and instrument style. John will also be scheduling these guys to stack a band each week at Origin Church, which, as you might observe, will equal quality and excellence in the music arena. Wow! Thanks John for your vision! You gotta hear John! Coming soon…..stay tuned! He can do it all!
p.s. The late Randy Stennett was one of John’s good friends and known as one of the best musicians around this part of the country. John carries a picture of Randy with him. Randy’s widow, Lorie Stennett, who is a great gal, is on our launch team. A small world!
