Integrity

Almost every week we talk about worshiping God with our lives and the importance of living out the songs that we sing. I think there is one word God wants to speak to us today and that word is integrity.

As worship leaders, and not only that, but as followers of Christ, we are called to live a life set apart, a life of complete integrity. I’ve been thinking about this lately; I want to have integrity even in the little things, in every single thing I do. When we decide to surrender our lives to Christ it doesn’t mean we won’t be tempted or mess up but it does mean that we are trying the best we can to live a life holy and pleasing to God. It is necessary that people can look at our lives and know we are different.

1 Peter 1:14-15 says, “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But NOW you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

Let us choose holiness. Let us be people of integrity on and off the stage so that when we lead people every weekend it is authentic and real and an overflow of our lives. We don’t do this so that we can have the glory or recognition for ourselves, we do this to bring honor to Him, to please Him, to be an example to all believers. There is no other way to follow Christ.

-Macy McKinzie

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Worship Song Lists

As a worship team, something we want to start doing is give our people access to the songs we use for our weekend services. Our hope is that you will become familiar with these songs as you listen to them in your house and in your car. We pray you can enter into God’s presence beyond our weekend worship services!

 

Weekend Set List for April 19th & 20th in Frisco:

Furious- Bethel Church (feat. Jeremy Riddle)

 

Here for You- Matt Redman

 

I will Exalt- Bethel Church (feat. Amanda Falk)

 

Special song: Heaven by Gungor

 

Set list for April 19th & 20th in McKinney:

Freedom is Here- Hillsong United

 

God is Able- Hillsong Live

 

I will Exalt- Bethel Church (feat. Amanda Falk)

Set a Fire

 

Special song: Heaven by Gungor

 

 

The Beautiful Call of a Worship Leader

“Let our love to lead worship never overtake our love for the people who we are leading in worship.”

As a worship leader, our ministry can be intoxicating and exhilarating.  We take the stage every week and play music for people who love us and our music (for the most part 🙂  It is a highly rewarding ministry that brings recognition and often admiration.  People want to be a part of worship ministry, and our auditions fill with people who desire to be a part of the team.  As a worship leader, it is easy to love worship ministry.  However, my fear is that we have a tendency toward loving ministry more than the people to whom we minister.

My prayer for our team today is that our love for ministry is driven by the people who we are serving.  Let our love to lead worship never overtake our love for the people who we are leading in worship.

We are called and commissioned by Christ to live missional lives for the glory of God as we share and model the gospel.  Our God-given purpose is people.  Our God-given mission is people.  As messy as people and relationships can be, our God-given ministry is people.  My prayer is that we never separate our ministries from the people to whom we are ministering.  Instead, my hope is that every time we step on the stage we are driven by our calling to share the truth of Jesus Christ with our people so that they may be transformed by the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.  This is the beautiful calling of a worship leader.

-Justin Evans

Refiner’s Fire

Growing up I listened to a lot of music from the Vineyard. The music was produced by a group of artists who were a part of Vineyard churches all over the world. Many of these songs were so foundational in my early years as a Christian and as a worship leader. They were always relatively simple and most of the songs were prayers put to music.

Fast forward to a couple of months ago, I was listening to the live stream of the Passion 2013 Conference. During the three day event, they introduce and record a lot of great new worship tunes. (You can find the finished album here.)

During one of the worship sets Christy Nockles, one of the worship leaders, begins to sing a song called My Delight. In a still moment of worship about 4 minutes in, out of nowhere, she starts to sing this chorus:

Refiner’s fire
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You my Master
Ready to do your will

I about lost it! This is one of those old Vineyard songs that I have sung over and over since I was a teenager! At that moment, my sense of longing and desire for the Lord was stirred up as I remembered countless moments that I sang this song and prayed this prayer. I sat there and prayed those lyrics once again. Even now as I am writing I’m just praying those lyrics as the cry of my heart.

Yes, this is a testament to the power of song, but it is even more a testament to the power of the truth a song can deliver. Brian Doerksen wrote that song 23 years ago and the truth in those lyrics still arrests my soul and sends me to my knees in prayer. Thank You God for this gift of song, but thank You even more for the gift of your truth!

Let’s sings, play, lead, and write songs of truth together! Who knows? A song you sing, play, lead, or write today could bring truth that draws one person back to the feet of Jesus 50 years from now. That is something I want to be a part of!

__________________________________

I challenge you with this…

Go dig out an old album or songbook of hymns or worship music that you sang when you first started to follow the Lord. Do yourself a favor and pop it in your tape deck or CD player. Sit down at a piano or with a guitar and play through some of those old songs. I guarantee there will be some truth there that is still relevant to you life today.

Love you guys!

Aubrey

Thoughts About Jesus

He was Homeless

He discipled 12 people

People loved Him

People Hated Him

People Accused Him of being a drunk

He was arrested

He was given a death sentence

He hung out with prostitutes

He hung out with tax collectors

He healed people physically and spiritually

He was approachable

He was humble

He was bold

He was a good friend

He was a servant

He was selfless

He moved in surrender to the Father

He freaked religious people out

He made time for what is important

He offended people with some of His teachings

He listened

He was abandoned to the mission of the gospel

As a follower of Jesus, I want to always look at His life and examine if mine looks like His did.
Cheers,
Josh Varnadore

Easter Music

We had amazing Easter Services this past weekend at Hope. We wanted to share the music from those services with you.

Joyful (Brenton Brown)

 

Here For You (Matt Redman)

 

Oceans – Where feet may fail (Hillsong UNITED)

 

Worship Set: April 6th and 7th

Frisco Worship set:

Because Of You We Are (Hope Fellowship original: Aubrey McGowan, Josh Varnadore, Taylor Whiddon, Macy McKinzie)

Forever Reign (Hillsong)

We Will Rise (Hope Fellowship original: Macy McKinzie, Justin Evans, Jen McGowan, Aubrey McGowan)

 

McKinney Set List:

Our God is Love (Hillsong)

Forever Reign (Hillsong)

We Will Rise (Hope Fellowship Original:Macy McKinzie, Justin Evans, Jen McGowan, Aubrey McGowan)