This is a new one to me and if you are a part of Kingsfield Church, we gave it a shot this past weekend. The song is great and the words are too! I haven’t had a chance to check out the rest of the album yet but it is up on iTunes and I will have to. But for now, check out the video and the soulful awesomeness that is Israel Houghton.
We got a new Video Of The Week this week! Aaron Keyes is a new-to-me (in the last year or so) worship leader. Every time I have seen him lead he has done an outstanding job. Every time I listen to him I realize a little more that my Scriptural knowledge is lacking. I think he has a YouVersion brain implant. That or he just really knows his stuff and love his God. I think it’s more of the second one. Check out this video, follow him on Twitter (@aaronkeyes) and then hit him up on iTunes and get his album Not Guilty Anymore!
Being a Music Pastor with a wife that enjoys music nearly as much as I do, our iTunes is PACKED full of music. It ranges from Ace Of Base to Hillsong United to Metallica with sprinkles of *NSYNC and Tupac. But the other day I as I was jamming a song that I haven’t heard in a very long time came on. It’s a Shane & Shane cover of a Steven Curtis Chapman song called Remember Your Chains. Since it has been so long since I last thought about this song and that my wife is pregnant so my memory is just gone (that’s how it works right?), I started thinking about the words. They are huge!
Remember your chains
Remember the prison that once held you
Before the love of God broke through
Remember the place you were without grace
When you see where you are now
Remember your chains
Remember your chains are gone
Imagine what your life would be
If Jesus had not set you free
Many times we want to forget the past. It reminds us of when we were awkward or immature or without salvation. We even teach ourselves to put the past behind us, move on and forget things ever happened. I am no therapist or psychologist so I am not going to say that this is always a good thing, but there are times that we need to remember the past.
We need to remember where we came from.
…what we have been through…
…how we got to “here”.
We need to remember our chains. No matter when you came to Christ, you lived a life prior to Him that was destined for death. But through Him we have been scooped out of the pit of death and given life! Some have more battle scars than others, but the fact still remains that we were all trapped in a prison and chained to our sins. And now we have been set free from the life of an inmate on death row and given a whole new identity in Someone much bigger and stronger than we can ever be! Maybe you feel those chains right now. If so, know that there is a way to freedom. Whether you have been freed before or not, there is freedom in Christ. He wants to give it to you! Just ask for it!
As painful as it may be…
As humbling as it may be…
Remember your chains. Remember a life without hope, mercy or grace.
But more than that, remember that you are set free from it all in Jesus Christ!
For Christmas I received some iTunes money. Woo! But now the hard part. How to spend it in the best way. Do I go for practical apps? Do I buy games? Do I get things that my wife will like? Do I get things that only I will like? I just don’t know! Here’s a list of some that I’m thinking about.
So, for those of you iPhoners out there, help a brotha out! What apps do I need and why?
One of the fun parts of being a worship pastor is that I get to play with all kinds of musicians from all kinds of places. And the one thing about a musician is that apparently you can’t be in just one band. So therefore I have played with guys in some great bands as well, like Shane & Shane, Ryan Cabrera, David Crowder*Band, Robbie Seay Band, Chris Tomlin, and Charlie Hall. There are also two bands that are up and coming as well. One called They Were Stars in Texas and a band called The Union Line in California.
This past weekend I had the chance to go check out The Union Line. I had heard some of their stuff from iTunes, but had never seen them play. So I made the drive to the Gypsy Lounge in Lake Forest to see them for myself. I got there while there was still a band playing before them, who was great if you are into that folksy acoustic thing (sorry band that played before The Union Line, I didn’t catch your name) and heard them play the last half of their set. So as the bands we changing the stage and I realized how much this scene was not mine and I was very out of style here, I made my way down to the font floor area and was about 3 or 4 people back from the stage pretty close to the middle.
As The Union Line was about to go on, the area around me filled up pretty quickly since the place is pretty tiny. I soon realized that the girls in front of me where big fans of the band and were sure to dance the whole time. I’m not much of a dancer. And I’m there by myself. And I’m married. This had potential disaster all over it. Fortunately I think they were more annoyed that I was standing there (although I was there long before they were) so no problems. Just had to watch the band through the random flailing arms instead of a clear view. About halfway through the set those girls decided to go elsewhere and so we all scooted in. After a few more minutes two more girls decided that the spot right in front of me (there wasn’t a spot there) was perfect for them and came barging in. When I thought that the other three girls were fans I was mistaken. These two girls I’m pretty sure go to EVERYTHING that the band does. They screamed pretty much the rest of the night. The first half of the set was great, but I’m not sure about the second have of the set. It was hard to hear through all the screaming.
It was a fun evening. The Union Line is a great band. They are very creative and have great stage presence. I personally liked the fact that the front four guys traded instruments all the time and sang. None of them played only one thing for the whole night. That was great. I highly recommend you checking out this band! I enjoyed every song they played. It’s not the same Nickelback or New Kids On The Block for sure! They were fun, fresh and creative. They were Groupee.com’s Artist Of The Month for January 2009 and I hear that there are a couple record labels lurking about trying to bite so don’t be surprised when you see these guys make it pretty soon! Go to iTunes right now and check them out!
Ladies and gentlemen, the new setlist for this coming Sunday has officially been released! I have exclusive access (you think?)! Here it is!
05-24-09
Burn For You – Fee – We Shine
Everlasting God – Lincoln Brewster – Everlasting God – Single
Came To My Rescue – Hillsong United – United We Stand
Let God Arise – Chris Tomlin – Passion: God Of This City
Jesus Paid It All – Kristian Stanfill – Passion: Everything Glorious
You Are Here (The Same Power) – Hillsong – This Is Our God
Today Is The Day – Lincoln Brewster – Today Is The Day
Should be good times! If you are around Orange County come check it out!
Wanna see more of what we are playing? Go here!
Current iTunes Song – Come Away With Me – Norah Jones – Come Away With Me
Yes it does! The saga continues. What saga am I talking about, you ask? Well, I’m not talking about Star Wars. It’s not Rambo or Rocky (is it just me or is it funny that these two Stallone movies start with r’s and are 5 letters and went much longer than they should have?). I’m not even talking about the Die Hards. Those of you that guessed the P. Diddy & The Bad Boy Family album are also wrong. Could it be the Bret Favre “I’m really retiring this time” story or the fact that no one in their right mind should sign TO? No! They are all wrong! (more…)
Well, ladies and gentlemen, somehow we actually made it to the big day…of course if we are being honest it isn’t really the big day. It’s actually just the day before the big day and then the day after the big day but minus the big day. Confused yet? I am! (more…)
