Young Church Singers

OK - I am REALLY "dating" myself now.....

As a student at Baylor University, I had the joy and privilege of being in a contracted studio session recording group - hired by WORD Music (located at that time in Waco, Texas) to record about once a month on a Saturday in Dallas, Texas.

The leader and person who formed/hired (and named) this group was Charles F. Brown. At that time, he was Senior Editor in charge of all choral works published by WORD Music, and he needed an quick and inexpensive way to record his choral demonstration recordings.

So, he hired a bunch of college students, and called us the "Young Church Singers."

Not highly original, but heck 30+ years ago, we thought it was pretty cool!

This group was really good - (I still am not sure how I got in, but it sure was fun -and hard work!)

I am guessing this photo was taken sometime around 1975 or 1976.

Oh to be a college student again and earn $75 on a Saturday, hanging out with good friends and making good music!

(The first person to identify me in the photo gets a free recording of the Young Church Singers - HA HA!!)

South Africa Music Team

Landing in Cape Town, South Africa later today will be this wonderful group of close friends of mine.

For the past 3 years, I have led a team of musicians/worship leaders to Cape Town to lead workshops and partner with a local church and Christian radio station to help develop local South African Christian musicians, and even help them get their songs developed to be played on the radio there.

This is my first time to not be leading a team, and I hate that, but I am so pleased for this group to be going under the way more than capable leadership of Jeremy and Maribeth.

If you would, please take a minute to pray for them (by name) right now as you read this - that God would use them to encourage and equip these incredible folks living on the other side of the world!

in the photo - L-R are: Chris, Todd, Joyce, Maribeth, Jeremy, and Shelly!

Their workshops will be this Friday and Saturday, and Cape Town is (7) hours LATER than Nashville! So a really good time to pray for them is as you go to bed each night! Thank you

Ben - String Bass

Ben Worley - String Bass from Dennis Worley on Vimeo.

This video is excerpts from a Wind Ensemble Concert that Ben got to be a part of about a month ago. These are high school band kids from all over the middle Tennessee area playing under the direction of guest conductor, Dario Sotelo - Artistic Director and Conductor of the Brazilian Wind Orchestra, and the Principal Conductor of the Paulista Symphonic Orchestra.

This was an incredible experience for Ben, and I hope you enjoy watching him play this most amazing music!

30 Years

February 24, 1979

Today marks 30 years of marriage to Karla!

So far this morning, we have celebrated by taking care of Ben who has the stomach flu....welcome to life.....

God has blessed us way beyond expectations.

After 30 years, we are still learning how to love each other, care for each other, communicate with each other, and enjoy each other, but the journey has been and continues to be incredible.

We have friends who have shown us what a healthy marriage looks like, we have friends who have helped us raise our kids, and we have/had Godly parents who modeled a healthy marriage. What more does a couple need?

As we grow old together, I am reminded of something Jay Strother said as part of Seth and Arley's wedding ceremony in September 2006 - (pardon my loose interpretation) "Seth and Arley believe that they can accomplish more for God together than separately, and therefore they come together in holy matrimony to do that."

Every day that I get to live, I want to believe that is exactly what God has allowed in our lives. So, today, I thank God for my marriage to Karla, and pray that it can always bring glory to Him.

(yes, the photo was taken at our wedding reception, and she is indeed a beautiful bride, and I have no idea where my hair went!)

World-Class Musicianship

Last night, Ben and I had the immense joy of attending the US Navy Band in concert at the Collins Alumni Auditorium on the campus of Lipscomb University.

Besides being a "free" concert - (Ben and I had a lively debate on the way home trying to decide who covered all the expenses so that the concert attendees did not have to pay to see this group!!)

The concert was outstanding. A mixture of unique classical pieces intertwined with Sousa marches, and their performance of John Williams' classic movie theme, E.T. was just amazing!

They invited some area high school and college students to join them on stage to play the Sousa march, "The Washington Post"..... wow!

What a beautiful evening of incredible music played by some of the most extraordinary musicians anywhere.

If you get the chance to see and hear them while they are on their 26 concert-28 day tour, don't miss it! I would have gladly paid to experience it!

For more information, click HERE

Generosity

The journey began 5 years ago this month when our Missions Minister, Scott Harris introduced us (me and Karla) to John & Avril Thomas from Cape Town, South Africa.

That conversation was the beginning of a most incredible music & worship ministry missions partnership with some of the most loving, talented, and under-resourced people on planet earth. Since our first trip there in 2004, we have taken (3) music/worship teams there leading workshops, and we are planning two more trips this year.

At our very first meeting with John, he told us about a church choir in a community (Masiphumelele - "Masi" for short) near his church who had recorded their very first CD. He was convinced that one day this choir should and would record another CD. In March of 2007, our team spent several days in Cape Town recording the Masi Choir. In and around that same time, several Christian artists (Jars Of Clay, Casting Crowns, and Michael W. Smith) made their way to Cape Town - they met John, heard about the ministry of Living Hope, heard the Masi Choir sing and lead worship, and they all told John they would do whatever they could do to help the ministry of Living Hope and the Masi Choir. John was convinced in his heart that these artists "had" to be on this CD. (If you know John - his vision, passion, and faith are all "off the chart", and it is almost impossible to say "no" to him!!)

So, literally for the past two years, we have been working on behalf of John Thomas, Living Hope, and the Masi Choir to "secure" these artists and have them record one song on the Masi Choir CD.

The beautiful and sometimes frustrating thing about artists who want to help ministries like Living Hope and the Masi Choir is that they truly want to do this, but they are also most often contractually obligated to companies who quite honestly cannot always afford to allow such valuable "assets" to "give away" their name value to charitable organizations.

However, today was a monumental day in this journey.

Both Michael W. Smith and Dan Haseltine (lead singer for Jars Of Clay) came to the studio and recorded their respective songs. I can't tell you in words how I feel. I see the faces of that choir, I hear their voices, and now we have (arguably) two of the most recognizable voices in Christian music singing along with this beautiful African choir!

I praise God for His timing. I look forward to what is next, but for today, I thank God for the unique and authentic generosity of two men who more often than not have to say "no" when they truly want to say "yes".

Today they said "yes", and there are many people in a tiny church in the middle of a community overcome with poverty and HIV/AIDS who are rejoicing!

To God be the glory!

Some Very Random Thoughts On "New"

This might be my most random and potentially ridiculous blog post in a very long time if not ever, so if you dare - keep reading......

Why do we crave new?
When does new become not new?
When does new become old?
Is there a time in between not new and old?
Why is new to some and not to others?
Why do worship leaders insist on singing new songs all the time?
Why would we rather drive a new car than a "pre-owned" car?
Why do we want a new house?
Why do we want a new job?
Why do we crave new clothes?
new furniture
new kitchen
new garage
new girlfriend
new boyfriend
new wife
new husband
new computer
new cell phone
new widescreen HDTV

What is our fascination with new?
What is right with new?
What is wrong with not new?

I guess this hit me this week related to songs and church buildings.
In my profession, I am always looking for new songs - particular right now new Easter songs. On a weekly basis, worship leaders everywhere are introducing new songs to their congregations. What is new to some is vaguely familiar to others. What is old to some, is brand new to others. What gives? I remind my choir often that some of the older hymns we sing were new at one point - they refuse to believe that (smile)!

We are about to open a new building/room/space on our church campus called the Connection Center. I still remember when we moved into our now-almost-7-year-old Worship Center. How exciting it was to be there because it was new. Now it is not nearly as exciting to be in that room because we have become familiar with it. The new Connection Center will be new. So that makes me wonder when it will no longer "feel" new to everyone.

Why does any of this matter?

I don't really know except that I guess I want to be careful not to always be consumed with new. New always becomes not new and eventually old. Keeping new in persepective might be a good thing.

I tend to be equally thrilled that within God's Church we celebrate a new baby, new Christians, as well as honor those who have been married for 50+ years!

Minister On-Site

Since most if not all of the ministerial staff at our church work on Sundays, we usually are off on Fridays.

However, each minister rotates serving as "on-site" minister each Friday.

This is different from our "on-call" minister who is available to respond to ministry/family/Benevolence/medical, etc.. emergencies.

(If you are thoroughly confused, fret not - for the sake of this post, it really does not matter!)

I had the joy of being on-site yesterday.

I can't speak for other ministers and what they get to deal with when they are on site, but you would have thought yesterday was Friday the 13th instead of next Friday!

I had to respond to two uniquely different phone calls and situations.

SITUATION #1
A lady calls from out of state concerned about her son who has moved to Nashville and has no place to stay. She wants to know if he can park his car in our parking lot and sleep overnight in his car in our lot! There is so much more to this story, but WOW! I took all her information, passed it along to our Benevolence Ministry, and hopefully they will be able to offer some kind of assistance to this young man and relieve his mother's anxiety.

SITUATION #2
A man calls to tell me he accidentally broke a kerosine lamp sitting next to their family Bible, and now the Bible is ruined - soaked and smells aweful. He ask me what he should do with the Bible? He told me they can't destroy it or throw it away or burn it - because it is sacred. So.....what do you do in this situation? WOW #2...
I told him I would ask around for advice and counsel, and I would call him back on Monday. In the meantime, I suggested he wrap the Bible in plastic, seal it, and place it in his garage until I get back to him with whatever "official" counsel I can offer!

Ministry is completely crazy sometimes - that's all I have to say about that.

Happy Belated Birthday!

My 57th birthday was last Sunday.

Before you consider me to be egotistical in wishing myself a belated happy birthday, this post is truly not about me - other than the honor I have of sharing my birthday with a true legend - one of my heroes...... George Beverly Shea.

For 62 years, Bev Shea has been the voice of the Billy Graham Crusades. He turned 100 on Sunday, and he did a concert!!!! Good grief - a concert at age 100!! Most people don't get to breathe that many years, much less still be able to carry a tune out loud!

I know I have talked and written about being with the Billy Graham Crusade in Syracuse, NY in March of 1989. I talk and write about that because it was such an honor to be around that team of people. Bev Shea was gracious to sit in a quiet room under the arena seating in the Carrier Dome and visit with me that evening. I will always remember the opportunity to just listen to him talk about life and ministry.

So, I encourage you to read more about this incredible man of God. You can do so by clicking HERE

Happy Birthday To Karla!

My sweet wife turns 53 today!

Recently, she was counseling a 30-something female following one of our services, and as they talked, the subject of age somehow came up and when Karla told this young lady that she was 52, the girl blurted out, "no way - well, you sure are hot to be 52!!" I think Karla took that as a compliment.

This "hot-now-53-year-old" is spending her morning speaking at the Nashville Women's Rescue Mission - she took several paperback New Testaments to give to those homeless women who don't have Scriptures to read.

If you have a minute sometime today, be sure to wish her a happy birthday!

Compassionart Project

Imagine the vision that brings the following names to come together to write songs for the sole purpose of helping to fight poverty world-wide?

Names like Michael W. Smith, Darlene Zschech, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Paul Baloche, Israel Houghton, Graham Kendrick, Steven Curtis-Chapman, Andy Park, Stu Garrard, and Martin Smith.

This CD and other related products releases on Tuesday.

I am particularly thrilled about this project because each artist got to personally choose the charity/organization their portion of the royalties/sales/proceeds would go to. In other words, every person involved in this project is donating to some cause somewhere.

Michael W. Smith chose Living Hope in Cape Town, South Africa.

If you have read my blog or know me at all, Living Hope is where a huge piece of my heart remains at all times.

In anticipation of Michael's 2007 Christmas Concert at Brentwood Baptist (where he agreed to do two shows as benefit concerts) he took the time while he was in Cape Town to meet with John Thomas, the founder and leader of Living Hope in October 2007.

Maybe that played a part in Michael choosing Living Hope to be "his" charity/organization.

As he put it to me - "it seemed like the right thing to do"!

God bless you, Michael, and God bless all of these incredibly influential songwriters/artists who took the time to come together and creatively submit to one another for a greater cause. What a picture that is - what a testimony to laying aside egos, personal and professional agendas to do something really important that goes beyond fame and fortune.

I hope you will take the time to read more about Compassionart, and you will purchase the CD and or other products - for in doing so, you will help to fight poverty, and minister to "the least of these".

Very Random Moment

I hesitated blogging about what happened to me last Sunday morning after our second worship service because 1) I made such a "dork" of myself, and 2) this will really sound like I am either name-dropping and/or patting myself on the back.

What the heck - this is what really happened.....

I was standing in the main area of our Music/Worship Office Suite talking with two friends, and I was facing the door, when a man walked into the office, made eye contact with me, and asked if I had a moment to speak with him.

As I made eye contact, I immediately blurted out, "I know you!" (what I meant was - I "recognize your face", but I did not who the person was)

I walked over to him, shook his hand, and introduced myself. He introduced himself to me and began to as genuinely as anyone has ever spoken to me - look me in the eye and tell me graciously and humble how much he appreciated me, what I do, what we do as a worship ministry, etc.....

The person was Lee Greenwood.

It was so totally random.

He and his family have evidently been coming regularly to our church, and he told me that he followed me back to my office area to express his gratitude to me.

He then said if there was every anything he could do for me to call on him.

Again - so totally random.

If you are too young to know the name or have an appreciation for the extent of this man's musical career, be sure to check him out by clicking HERE.

You just never know who is going to walk up to you after a worship service!

(hey, at least he didn't write me an anonymous note!!)

The Answer: Blue & Gold

Hats off to the Brentwood High Boys Basketball Team for beating (upsetting?) Franklin last night AT Franklin.

They now get to wear their own blue and gold practice jerseys come Monday in practice!

If you live in the area, mark your calendars now - Friday, February 6 - Frankin AT Brentwood. It's always difficult to beat the same team twice in the same season!

Who knows, maybe the Franklin coach should consider having the Franklin team wear blue and gold practice jerseys between now and February 6!!!

Will It Be Maroon Or Blue & Gold?

I love high school sports.

It's real, there's no media hype, there's no debates over play-off systems, there's no "business" in it - just young men and women having fun developing their God-given abilities and skills at a particular sport while hopefully learning the true meaning of competition. You never forget your high school sports playing days - ever!

Tonight, two teams will face each other as district rivals - they know each other, they have grown up playing against each other in sports, and they may even go to church with each other.

Brentwood vs. Franklin

If you live in Williamson County located just south of downtown Nashville, you have to at least know of these two schools. Each one absolutely loves to beat up on the other one - regardless of what sport it is. It defines rivalry.

It has been a long time since Brentwood has beaten Franklin in boys basketball.

Evidently, that is of major concern for the Brentwood head coach - so much so that he has refused to give his team their regular practice jerseys since the season began 3 months ago. He refuses to give them their jerseys UNTIL THEY BEAT FRANKLIN.
To make matters worse (and funnier!), in the meantime, he has made them wear maroon jerseys (Franklin's color).

So, what will it be come Monday in practice for Brentwood? Will they "earn" their coveted Blue & Gold practice jerseys or will they be forced to swallow yet another bitter pill and continue to have to wear maroon everyday in practice?

Tune in tomorrow where I will blog about the outcome!

I really do love high school sports!

"Oh, The Choir's Not Singing Today"

That was the quote overheard by one of our choir members on a recent Sunday when they came into the Worship Center to sit down among other members of the congregation.

The lady seated behind the choir member said this rather disgustedly. When the choir member turned around to tell her that many of the choir members were out of town, the person replied, "I don't like it when the choir doesn't sing."

I get that alot!

I guess I should be grateful that people like our choir, and want to hear our choir, and expect to hear our choir each Sunday. I am one of those worship ministers who believe that the choir is but a part of the worship leadership of the church. Yes, they/we are an integral part of the worship leadership, but my prayer is that people would come to our services wanting so badly to meet Jesus, that it wouldn't matter who is standing on the stage in front of them leading them.

I am very concerned that we are living in such an "impress-me-consumer-oriented" culture, that even in church - maybe even especially in church - congregants come and "expect" to be "wowed", and if their favorite "whatever" is not on the stage leading them in their favorite song or if a certain thing does not happen in the service just the way they would have hoped, then they "can't worship"

On the Sunday after Christmas, I had the rare privilege to attend a worship service where

1. I was not in charge
2. I got to sit with my wife
3. I got to sit with my parents

(notice the "I" in each of those - I have become what I am ranting about!!!)

Actually, I don't think so - those three things were indeed important to me, but what was more important to me was the experience of worship in this wonderful church in Texas where the following were evident to me during my 60+ minutes being there:

1. The wonderful and kind gentleman who drove the golf cart up to our car and then to the door of the church so my aging parents did not have to walk all the way to the building
2. The way we were greeted, and the way people treated my parents as if they were Jesus and a few of His friends
3. The regular music minister was not there - it didn't matter
4. The choir did not sing - it didn't matter
5. The guest ladies choir was fun, genuine, and had an obvious love for Jesus
6. The children's sermon was memorable and engaging
7. The pastor's sermon centered around the candles of the Advent season was encouraging and challenging

So what?

Well, every Sunday of these kinds of worship experiences add up in a person's life. They all contribute to our journey with Christ. It's not so much about perfect attendance and being at church everytime the doors are open. It's way more about making the most of each worship experience (church service) that we are given - to (regardless of who is leading) learn more about the ways of Jesus so that we become more like Him so we are then better equipped to live our lives in ways that those around us can see that something is different about the way we think, the way we make important decisions, the way we treat our kids, our spouse, our friends, our co-workers, the way we love, the way we react - on and on I could go......I know you already know all of this!

I'm just not so sure that whether the choir sings in the worship service has that much to do with what is really important in our journey of becoming true followers of Christ.....

Mr. Bassman, Play Me A Song

It has been fun to watch our youngest son, Ben enjoy playing the bass guitar and the bass (arco).

Here are some fun recent photos! (The hair is!)

Merry Christmas From Billy Graham

I find it amazing that an organization as large as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association must be - would still have my wife on their mailing list.

In March of 1989, she was privileged to be one of the featured soloists at the Greater Syracuse Billy Graham Crusade at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. I will never forget that evening because I had the incredible honor of sitting with and visiting with George Beverly Shea as well as sitting on the platform and meeting the Reverend Dr. Billy Graham.

I will also always remember that experience because Karla sang at that crusade as she was pregnant with our middle son, Matt. He is now 19 years old!

So, this Christmas - some 19 years later - Karla received a Christmas card from Dr. Billy Graham with the following note -

"Having just celebrated my 90th birthday, I am deeply grateful to God for the ministry He entrusted to Ruth and me for so many years, and to each of you who have prayed for me and my family so faithfully."

May God's gift of Jesus Christ fill you and your loved ones with unspeakable joy this Christmas and througout the coming year.

Billy Graham

(yes, I know it was not personalized, but it still means everything to us that we received it!)

Faith vs. Bravery

Anyone in ministry knows and relates to this statement -

[I have a friend who is dealing with a very difficult situation in their life.]

Well - I do - I have a friend who is dealing with a very difficult situation in their life.

This week, when I reminded them of the depth of their faith (which is evident to all and immense comparatively speaking), and that their faith in God would help them get through this difficulty - their response threw me.

They said, "I know I have faith - I'm just not brave."

WOW!

All week, I have been pondering that comment. How can that be - to have faith, but not be brave? Are we to assume that just because our faith is deep and strong, that we can't still be afraid? What does it mean that we are fearful and filled with faith? Is that not a contradiction in terms?

I know - I am supposed to have more answers than questions, but right now - and particularly in this situation - I must admit I have more questions than answers.

I do know this - my friend is counting on me (and many others) to "pray them through" this situation. I think my prayers will begin with, Lord, help my friend to be brave......

63 Years

Every June in our worship services, we recognize and honor those couples who have been married for 50 years or longer. I love that we do that. Our younger couples who are either engaged or recently married get to see a real life picture of marriage.

This past Monday - December 8, my mom and dad celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. I am amazed at that. Imagine the things they have witnessed and experienced "together" in 63 years!

So, congratulations to Wilburn (WJ) and Alice Ruth Worley - thank you for being a tremendous source of inspiration for so many!!

Leadership In Tough Times

Author, writer Gordon MacDonald always seems to come up with right words and thoughts for the right time and moment.

He has done that again (at least for me) with these words from a recent article he wrote in Leadership Journal entitled, "No Time To Cower".

Here is an excerpt:

The worldwide economic crisis seems the most immediate challenge. Worst case scenario? Many churches will not survive (it's happened before). Christian schools and seminaries will gasp for air; some will suffocate. Parachurch and missions organizations will find themselves in a Darwinian struggle for funding. Theological ideas built on prosperity, American superiority, and asset accumulation will be severely tested.

Wild times lead people to pursue spiritual realities. Look for an uptick in prayer, spiritual friendships, greater curiosity about what the Bible says about life's priorities. Wild times humble the arrogant and acquaint us with the struggles of the poor. Compassion and generosity take on a new meaning. That's not too bad.
There are two possibilities here. One is that I simply don't know what I'm talking about, and it's full steam ahead into business-as-usual. The other? That these conditions do indeed call for a courageous response like Foch's approach to turbulent times: "I attack." A bold advance.

That's what I pray the Christian movement will do. Not retrenchment! But a bold advance involves dramatic change: in leadership, in ways of doing Jesus' work, in innovative new thought about the meaning and impact of the gospel. Again, I say: attack!

What could that possibility mean to people of spiritual influence in these days?

Several experimental ideas:

1. Let's go back to the Bible and rediscover what godly people said and did when the sky was falling in their generation. New insights, possibly?

2. Let's make sure we have something substantial to say to those who are victimized by this economic tsunami: those losing their jobs, those who thought they were economically secure in their old age and discovered they aren't, and youth who might be fearing that there's no dream out there for them.

3. Let's reappraise our priorities of generosity and make sure that the giving-dollar goes to efforts that advance Christian ministry in enduring and deepening ways. Enough of the silly ways the Christian-dollar has been raised and wasted.

4. Let's think repentantly about how a lot of us have allowed ourselves to be caught up in a global financial system that was largely based on greed and falsehood. Lots of Christian organizations are crying about what has been lost because of this flawed financial system. But we ought not to forget it was that same system that helped those organizations get a lot of what they had. What goes up often comes down.

5. Maybe it's time to seek new ways of doing Christian service, ways less dependent upon money and bricks and mortar and more dependent upon unadulterated spiritual power. The early Christian movement, it seems to me, knew a lot about this.

6. We need to ask ourselves if we have any kind of message rising from the words and life of Jesus that would be significant to those in our larger world who thought they had a better way than Jesus' way. Revival time?

Confession: I have never been a great proponent of "revivals" because too many of them (the modern ones anyway) seemed contrived. But maybe—just maybe—we're at the brink of a real one.

If you wish to read the entire article - go HERE