The Grove was awesome this year! There is nothing better than a night full of celebration, vision, worship, prayer and good popcorn, ha!  Here is a brief overview of some things we covered this year.

1) We Celebrated all God has done over this past year
- I was so encouraged to hear how everyone saw God clearly moving in this past year of ministry. There was lots to celebrate and to thank God for.

2) We “recalibrated” and talked about some new resources.
Communication reminder: Anything from Planning Center will be service related. Any other form of communication comes via an email service called “mail chimp”. Please check your spam folder if you are not receiving emails from the CGWorship email.
Block Out Dates: Thank you for taking the time to put in your blockout dates! This helps us out more than you know! Our rhythm for scheduling will be 1-2 months out, so the more you can be up to date on your availability, the more it helps us out!
PCO: will have chord charts for music and a link to an MP3 of the song (Youtube for MP3 file). All the individual instrument files will only be applicable to a couple people on our team who can not use the Playback App.
Notes: the only “Notes” functionality we will use (for now) is the “person” tab. The information that is auto populated in the other fields will not be applicable for now.
Playback App: We will be transitioning to this as our primary resource for prepping to serve. Watch this tutorial video on how to use it and ask questions if you have any!

3) We remembered our “Why”
- We walked through the manifesto, which is our aim for our team. This year I wanted us to lean into one of the points more deeply but we ran out of time to unpack it during our session. Check out this video about me unpacking the manifesto point: We are Shepherd and Sheep

4) We ended our night by praying together and re-signing the team covenant
- I want to make a point for us to “re-agree” on the things we value most as a team and the best way to do that is to all re-sign the covenant together. If you were unable to be there, I would sill like for you to sign it. Why is this important? Some people may call it silly or unnecessary…but I call it culture :)

Again, thank you to all who made the effort to come out this year! To those who were unable to make it out, I hope you can join us next year. I am grateful to God for each of you and it is my privilege to serve along with you!

It really is foundational for musicians to understand the concept of tone and how it plays a part in what we do. Each time we sing, strum, hit a drum, tune a vocal, or whatever it is, we are effecting (either positively or negatively) the tone of the source.

This month's round table dives into all things tone and let me warn you...it's a deep dive. But I want to encourage you to take a listen, laugh with us, learn with us and ask yourself, "how does this concept apply to MY instrument?". *While we do use the illustration of an Electric guitar, know that this concept applies to all instruments/audio* 

Let's keep cultivating our character and our craft together team! 

If you watched Ep2 of our CGWorship Roundtables, you'll know that we believe that taking care of your voice is beyond important. I came across this article that is a quick read while still giving you a lot of great nuggets of wisdom. Grab some coffee (or throat coat ha!) and learn how you can take great care of your God given instrument! 

Taking care of your voice is kind of like stretching, everyone says they should do more of it because they know they would feel better...but no one actually does it haha! In this episode of our CGWorship Round Table, we discussed all things Vocal Health. Specifically we talk about why you should care for it and then give some practical tips on how to take care of it. Each of these episodes are meant to be intentional conversations to help us grow in our Character and Craft, so grab some coffee, make some notes, and keep growing!

To our team who mans (or womans lol) the cameras each week...our team salutes you! You play such a vital role on our team by capturing every moment throughout the service, and for those of you who don't know, running a camera is not for the faint of heart! There are 2 short articles linked below and each of them have some valuable nuggets of wisdom for camera operators. Take a second and give them a quick read and keep cultivating that craft! 

I came across this article not too long ago and I thought it would be helpful for our team, whether you are new to the team or have been on the team for awhile. I was SO encouraged as I read through this the first time because I feel like a lot of the things the author suggests are things that our team currently does! It is a blessing to serve along side you guys each and every week. Check out this article! 

For all of our audio engineers out there, this article has so many good nuggets of wisdom in it! For instance, as engineers, "We can't make a poor delivery good but if we don't do our job, we can certainly make a good delivery poor."

There is a lot you can get out of this article so take a second and give it a read! Keep mixing and glorifying God!

Keys players! No matter where you are at or what your skill level is, check out this article. It will definitely challenge you to grow your craft! 

If you google "how do I practice better" into Google, you are bound to get a million different answers. In this episode of our CGWorship Round Table, we discussed How to Prep for a Service and specifically we drill down on the differences between rehearsal and Sunday mornings. These episodes are meant to be intentional conversations to help us grow in our Character and Craft, so grab some coffee, make some notes, and keep growing! 

Hey team! Our heart is to help our team to consistently grow in Character and Craft and to do that better, we would love to hear from you! If you don't mind filling out this anonymous survey, it will help us as we work hard to help our team consistently steward all that God has given us. Thank you! 

Drummers! It's everyone loves a good cymbal swell right?! Drums are the heartbeat of modern worship music (is that a cymbal reference?) and the way that you use your cymbals will make everything gel together or will make everyone wish they had ear plugs. Check out this helpful tutorial from the guys over at Worship Online!

Do you feel like your mixes feel flat? Or at best, like they are just missing something? This is a quick video that breaks down how your mixes can become fully immersive. Grab a notepad and check it out! 

In our monthly resource email, we make it a point to always toss new resources your way so you can have some clear ways to continue to grow in character and craft. Here is a list of all the resources that we have been recommending throughout the year.

Bible Project App
Typically, we don't recommend apps on our resources page but this is one that has been a personal tool for our team as we daily follow Jesus. God's word is active, alive and more than just relevant to how we live everyday. Check out this app and remember, We lead authentically when we live dependently. 

Unearthed - a sermon series by Matt Chandler
This has been a sermon series that I (Philip) have been listening to in recent weeks and it has been so helpful for me personally. Check it out! 

Prayer Apps: Daily Prayer App, Lectio 356, and Lectio for Families
We know that nothing worth doing happens without prayer. Check out these three FREE apps. They have been amazing resources for our families and trust they will be for yours!

Podcast: Caring for your voice with Phil Wickham by Worship Ministry Training 
Vocalists! Taking care of your voice is SO important. Listen to the story and advice from one of the more recognizable worship leaders from today!

App: Quiztones: EQ Ear Training
The best way to have a good ear is to train it!

Podcast: The Theology of Production (lighting, sound and video) in Worship
This episode is SO good! I would encourage everyone, both platform and production to give this episode a listen

In our monthly resource email, we make it a point to always toss new music your way so you can know some songs that we are loving and *hint* might end up in our worship rotation! Here is a list of all the songs that we have been listening too and recommending throughout the year. 

- The Battle Is Yours by Red Rocks Worship
- A Thousand Hallelujah's by Brooke Ligertwood
- Resurrender by Hillsong
This was a recomendation by someone on the team! Keep sending good suggestions!
- No One Beside by Elevation Worship
- What He's Done by Passion
- Hope Is Awake by Austin Stone Worship
The words in this one are so rich! 
- Know Your Will by Hillsong United
 Another awesome suggestion from someone on the team! 
- Honey in the Rock by Brooke Ligertwood and Brandon Lake 
I mean come on...that groove though!
- Gratitude by Brandon Lake
A few of you have sent this to me or told me about this song and I have been loving it! Always feel free to send us music you are listening too!
- Jierh | Maverick City Music

As I write this, Easter is right around the corner and things are getting busier and busier now. For me personally, when I'm in the midst of a busy season, it seems like I have less time to get centered and grounded before I launch off into the day. I have found for me that launching into my day without some sort of time to focus tends to leave me susceptible to getting "knocked off balance" and lose perspective.

Sometimes getting centered is just that – taking a moment or two to be still before the Lord.  A daily bible reading plan is a great way to spend that time, but praying and giving up your day to the Lord is essential.

Its easy to live each day out of our own wisdom and strength instead of relying on the One who made us.  I have been relearning this lately. There is an art to resting in the Lord and better learning how to discern whose voice I’m paying attention to.  One way to do this is to test and approve as Romans 12:1-2 instructs us. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 How can we do this?  Test your "mind chatter" against the fruits of the spirit.  Is what I’m hearing coming from the Spirit of God or myself?  Is what I’m about to say or do inspired by the Word of God or from my self interest?  What are the fruits or the attributes of the Spirit? Galatians 5:22 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control: against such things there is no law.” 

The following verse is also a great reminder. It says “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

So when I’m walking through my day and I begin to feel off-centered, I test my thoughts and actions against what the bible teaches about the fruits of the Spirit.  If what you are testing doesn’t come from any of the “fruits” then you can be sure that it is not from the Lord.

How are you getting centered before you jump into your day?  
Whose voice are you listening to?

Hey team! Check out this in depth video walking through how an Acoustic player fits into the band. It is super helpful, even if you don't play acoustic, to know what to listen for and who to follow to make sure that we aren't mudding up the sonic space. Check it out, take some notes and keep growing that craft! 

Singers! This article is short and sweet but to the point. I love the line where the author talks about singing with others and how its about "knowing your role and how to step into it". When we sing together, we need to be thinking about our role in that moment so we can step into it with confidence. There is so much to chew on in this one...enjoy! 

It is such an easy trap to fall into...you hop into PCO, check out the set list for the week, you learn your part and then you play your part exactly as you learned it. I found this article that unpacks the "secret sauce" to great worship teams...everyone has to see themselves as an arranger.

There are so many helpful tips in here so I hope you are able to take time to read it and implement some of his suggestions!

Running two or more Electric Guitars during a worship set is great for flexibility and adding different textures BUT it can become over kill and muddy up a mix if people don't know what lane they should run in. This video is a little older (2016) but has some great tips on how to think through playing rhythm EG. Check it Out! 

Calling all drummers! I came across this article that I thought was super interesting. The author gives 6 ways you can get better at drums in your car...interesting right?! Check it out below! 

You know, compression can really squash your audio dreams...sorry, I couldn't resist! Here is an excellent resource for compression and how to understand and use it better. Happy Mixing! 

If you are reading this post then you are most likely about to audition to be a part of our CGWorship team. Woo! As you prepare, I thought it would be helpful to have a few (this is not exhaustive) ideas of what we are looking for/listening for in your audition. Remember, music is fun so enjoy this process! 

Drummers
- Drummers are the backbone of the band so you must have the ability to keep a consistent rhythm. If you are inconsistent, the rest of the band will be inconsistent.
- Controlled striking - Drummers must be able to play the room and play with control and consistency. No matter how big or small the room is, inconsistency in your hits will lead to lots of issue for the audio engineer and for the rest of the team.

Bass Players
- Bassists set the foundation of the music and work hand in hand with the drummer. It is important that you lock in with the drummer and what they are playing.
- Remember, simple and tasteful is always better in worship music. You are the foundation so moving off of the groove needs to be intentional so it doesn't take away from the song. DON'T BE TOO BUSY.

Keys/Piano Players
- Similar to bass, in worship music, simplicity in what you play is almost always best. Just because you can play a G#7add9add13...doesn't mean it'll work haha. Simplifying your voicing will insure the mix doesn't get too muddy and cluttered.
- Like an Electric Guitar player, don't be afraid of effects to give your playing more texture and depth.
- Ability to play lead lines that are designated by the original arrangement 

Electric Guitarists
 - Tone is king! Worship music has a distinct tonal quality that can't be achieved with simply a guitar and amp. Yes, we want you to play the right parts, but we also need you to have the right sounds too.
- Ability to play parts designated by the original arrangement 
- Be versatile to serve the song. Know when to play and when not too.
- Know the difference between rhythm and lead

Acoustic Guitarists
 - In worship music, there is a lot of harmonic content coming from the keys, EGs, and Vocals, so the sweet spot for an Acoustic guitar is going to be a more percussive playing style. We are looking for how you play with the drums and consistency with timing.
- Voicing: Because of the capo, you have lots of options on how you voice your chords. Keep in mind that open chords typically sound better in a worship context.

Vocalists
 - How comfortable are you in front of other people? If you look uncomfortable, they will focus on that and not what they should be...worshiping God! It's not about having the right moves, or pretending to look into it. As we say at CGWorship, We lead authentically when we live dependently. True worship comes from truly knowing God.
- Can carry the melody confidently through pitch and rhythm 
- Ability to sing harmonies. This isn't a requirement but it does allow for more versatility in how you can lead in a service.

Hey Team! We were so thankful for the time we had together this past Sunday. If you were unable to be with us, you were missed! Don't worry, this was the first of many team events this year!

For everyone that was unable to make it out, we wanted to give a brief overview of what the night looked like and link to a couple resources that we used as examples.

What did we talk about? 
We had 1hr together and broke our time together into two 30min sections. In the first 30min we talked about the foundation, the "why" behind everything that we do as worship leaders. If you were unable to be a part of that discussion, we'd love to encourage you to revisit some of the topics in the book The Worshiping Artist. That book is beyond helpful in letting scripture answer these foundational questions that we have like: What is worship? or What is corporate worship?
*Remember, our purpose is to point people to God and make space for people to freely and fully worship him* 

After remembering the foundation of what we do and why we do it, we transitioned to introduce some helpful language that we will be using to help us communicate better as a team. These three words, Focus, Feeling, and Energy are simply tools to help us communicate well with each other, as well as communicate the beautiful truth of the Gospel in and through everything that we do on a Sunday.

What's the goal of using this new language? To help each of us individually and as a team, prepare better so we can lead God's people better. We want to be consistent with what we communicate!

With the final 30 min we split up in our two teams, platform and production. You will see some of the topics we covered in those sections below.

Obviously, I can't unpack everything that we talked about regarding this new concept in a blog format but below I have written some questions that will hopefully bring clarity to the 3 Terms and the application of them. As I said before, ask plenty of questions and remember that we will continue to unpack these concepts more.

We love and appreciate the team that God has set before us here at CG! Grateful for all of you!

- Roman 

The Three Terms
Focus - What is the point of this moment? What do we want to stand out? What is the emphasis supposed to be? How can we help people focus on what is important?
***What this is not: I want people to watch me as I rip this sweet guitar solo. I want people to we "wow(ed)" by how cool our lights are. 

Feeling - What do I sense right now? What is the feeling in the room as people encounter God? As you listen to the Holy Spirit, how is he leading you? 
***What this is not: I love music because it makes me feel good. If we don't do this _____ people won't "feel" God's presence. If I think about what I or others are feeling then I am drifting from the true heart of worship

Energy - What is the style of the song? How is the platform team communicating this song? Does my energy match what we are all saying? Is my energy distracting because it is so different from everyone else?
***What this is not: We want people to clap there hands so we need "hype" them up. This is supposed to be a slow song so I am going to close my eyes the whole time. We need a fast song, slow song, and a medium song for true worship to happen. 

Platform Breakout - How to apply these three terms

Musicality - Questions to ask yourself when preparing.
- Is what Im playing helpful to what we are trying to accomplish, our purpose?
- Am I enjoying what I am doing? *servanthood over stardom*
- What am I communicating to them as I play/sing/or speak?  
- Do I believe what I am saying? Can they tell I believe what I am saying?
- Have I prepared myself enough so I can focus on worshiping God and leading?


Stage Presence - Truths to remember.
- This is not the most important thing we do, but it is important
- What we communicate with our bodies and faces should be consistent with what is in our heart and what we are doing.
- Somebody is always watching you
- Even if you aren't leading the song…sing the lyrics
- Know your space…while still being yourself
- We are the thermostats for the room…we set the temperature
- What am I inviting them to do right now? Do I believe what I am saying? Can they tell I believe what I am saying?
- Dont hide...Lead

Give it a try
Watch a few minutes of this video with the volume OFF and ask yourself - what are they communicating is the focus? What is the feeling? What is the energy level?

Production Breakout
Philip walked the team through a few different physical examples but he also showed the team a couple videos. We've linked to the videos below for you to go and check out. As you watch: practice the pairing of your eyes and ears. "What do my ears hear is the focus? Where should my eyes be looking? With the audio and the video elements, how are they communicating Focus, Feeling, and Energy?

*For this one - watch the opener!*

Continuing in the series of articles found in the Worship Musician Magazine. Below is the link to the third article which is part 3 of the 15 vocal terms. You'll find the article on page 52 of the digital magazine.

Continuing in the series of articles found in the Worship Musician Magazine. Below is the link to the second article which is part 2 of the 15 vocal terms. You'll find the article on page 36 of the digital magazine.