Worship Matters

In just a couple weeks I’ll be down in Orlando, FL helping to lead corporate worship at the very last NEXT. The theme of this year’s conference is You and Your Church. I’ve been involved with the music at NEXT ever since Josh Harris started the conference back in 1999, although then it was called [...]

Hoping to share some reflections from my recent time in Australia soon. But before that, I wanted to let you know about a video we just finished editing. Last May at the NEXT conference, I had the opportunity to lead the song, The Father’s Love, with my son, Devon, and the Na Band. We projected the [...]

One of my favorite songs on our Sons & Daughters album is Completely Done. I appreciate the simple, clear, and effective way it challenges our struggles with condemnation. Am I really forgiven? Did God know about that sin? What if I mess up again? Are my sins really fully paid for? Completely Done, by Jonathan [...]

As I was preparing for the NEXT conference a few weeks ago, I had an ongoing impression that God wanted to minister through a prophetic song to attendees who had lost one or both parents unexpectedly. I wasn’t aware that two of the testimonies that were going to be shared at the conference referenced parents who [...]

This past weekend I had the privilege of leading the singing at the 2011 NEXT conference in Orlando, FL, along with the Na Band and Generation Letter. For some reason they keep letting me hang out with the young guys. Don’t mind that at all. This year’s focus was understanding how Christ transforms the way [...]

At the end of this month (May 28-31) I’ll be heading down to Orlando, FL to lead the worship in song at Next 2011, with the Na Band and Generation Letter. Shane and Shane will also be leading us in corporate worship for one session, and presenting a concert that same night. Next is geared [...]

Last May I had the joy of leading worship in song at the Next conference along with three bands, including Generation Letter. One of the songs we sang, “Only Jesus,” was written by Doug Plank and based on a prayer in The Valley of Vision. I asked Doug what he was thinking when he wrote the [...]

I was encouraged recently to hear that Worship Leader magazine had included Generation Letter’s song “King of Peace” on their recent Song Discovery CD. Each Song Discovery CD contains 12-15 congregational songs with  leads sheets and chord charts in 3 keys. Many are from well known bands and artists, but they often feature songs from [...]

Back in 2005 we produced an album called Worship God Live, a live album that featured Pat Sczebel and me each leading six songs. Pat serves as one of the pastors at Crossway Community Church, in Surrey, British Columbia. He’s been a dear friend for years. Pat inspires me in many ways. He’s one of the [...]

Yesterday I posted a song I sang at the NEXT conference for those with disabilities. A week or so before the conference began, I had a growing sense that there would be people at the conference who would be encouraged by attending, but would be battling the effects of sexual sin – either condemnation for [...]

The 16th chapter of my book, Worship Matters, is called “To Cherish God’s Presence.” I talk about how one of the effects of biblical corporate worship is a greater pursuit of God’s active presence. I wrote: For many years I’ve sung spontaneous songs during corporate worship that I believe are a form of prophecy. They’re [...]

Every time I lead the singing at a conference it’s a learning experience. This year’s NEXT conference was no different. In this post I want to share some of the thinking behind the songs we sang. NEXT is a conference geared towards younger singles and married couples, so the majority of people who attend are [...]

Got back yesterday from NEXT 2010. It was three and a half days of singing, preaching, and hanging out with about 2500 others who wanted to dig deeper into God and his Word. A powerful time. All the main session messages are available for download from the NEXT website. If you couldn’t make the conference, [...]

Thanks for the encouraging comments many of you left on my last post. I love to do what I can to support bands that are committed to theologically solid, gospel-centered modern worship songs. Sounds like a lot of you feel the same way. To pick the winners of the free album download I used a random [...]

I have the joy of leading the singing at Next this coming weekend in Baltimore, MD. I’ll be leading with three bands – The Na Band, Zelos, and Generation Letter. The first two bands have appeared at Next before, but this will be the first time for Generation Letter. All the members of Generation Letter [...]