In 1992, Northfield Publishing released a new book by author Gary Chapman called, The Five Love Languages.  The book is aimed at sensitizing married couples to the ‘love languages’ of one another.  In the book, Chapman’s five love languages are: Acts of Service, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Gifts, and Physical Touch.  As worship planners…

The busiest time of year for directors and choirs is NOW! Everyone is focused on perfecting those troubling measures, memorizing that last tender ballade, frantically collecting props, buildings set pieces, and everything else that goes into making Christmas so wonderful for every worshiper. With all this organized chaos in mind, it’s important that we all…

As singers head back to rehearsal rooms all over the country, now is a great time to press ‘reset’ on our commitment to excellence in our ensembles.  Here’s a fun list of ‘new choir year resolutions’ for your consideration as you ramp back up this fall:   I WILL ALWAYS WATCH THE DIRECTOR: Watching the…

For more than 100 years, congregations and audiences have thrilled to the excitement and energy created by the modern spiritual. From the early composers Harry Burleigh (1866-1949), William Dawson (1899-1990), and Jester Hairston (1901-2000), all the way to modern arrangers such as Moses Hogan (1957-2003), Andre Thomas (b. 1952), Stacey Gibbs (b. 1964), and Rollo…

Five things in worship that are different today compared to when I was a child I ‘came of age’ in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and to me, a lot has changed in corporate worship over the past three decades. Enjoy this little trip down memory lane as we review five things that have changed in…

Each one of us experiences hurt, pain and disappointment from time to time. No one is exempt from the bumps and bruises of this life. When we think about shepherding our choristers, it is important to develop strategies for ministering to them when they are hurting. Consider these ideas as you work to shepherd your…

Summer is a great time to host a Summer Arts Camp at your church. There’s not a prescribed formula for the ‘hows, whens, and whys; it’s completely up to you and your unique set of circumstances. For many, the Summer Arts Camp is a great way to keep children participating in the arts while taking…

Multi-lingual worship moments for the local community of faith Corporate worship provides great opportunities to celebrate diversity and unity in the local community of faith. After all, in every Christian worshipping community all over the world, although in different ways, we practice basically the same things we have for more than 2000 years. Consider these…

Music is a powerful and useful tool to bring together people of all ages in the church. I’m sure you’re already engaged in several of these multi-generational activities, but if not, give these ideas some thought: 1. CHOIR/ORCHESTRA – If your church is like mine, the adult choir/orchestra is one of the few places where…

Keeping worship fresh and the worshipper engaged can be as easy as selecting a favorite hymn lyric to create a short litany or responsive reading. It’s so easy to do, remembering these three simple guidelines: 1. Find a hymn lyric that SPEAKS to you and others in your congregation. This may not be the best…

As a church leader who has engaged in weekly worship planning for 30+ years, I often get lost in the business and clutter of the week, losing sight of what’s really important when selecting music for worship. So, as I sit writing this article, I am reminding myself again what matters most. As you plan…