Wow, what an adventure it was right up until start time. One of those weeks where you just have to laugh at how many curve balls were being thrown our way. God brought us through though and service went on as God had planned and it was a tremendous blessing to be part of.

This week’s set was one of the stranger sets I’ve put together. God was working a strange mix of songs in my heart through this week but at the center of it all was Nothing But the Blood (hymn not Redman). I had it earmarked for our series through Galatians but for whatever reasons the timing never felt right until now. We played a version similar to Page CXVI’s incredible arrangement with some instrumental changes. All through the week the chorus had just been wrecking me:

How precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

The line “No other fount I know” was highlighted in my spirit and caused me to reflect on my life in what other hopes I’ve had that have faded and died. And I was faced with the loving reality, that I know no other savior, no other hope for the cleansing of my soul. My heart was filled with so much gratitude and thankfulness as I remembered my record of sins, knowing that Jesus did not.

1. Opening puritan prayer / instrumental
2. Dress Us Up – John Mark McMillan
3. I Am A Temple – John Mark McMillan
4. We Will Run – Gungor
5. Nothing But the Blood – Robert Lowry / Page CXVI arrangement
6. Fire Fall Down – Hillsong United

I have a very specific strategy for 9volt battery rotation that insures my in ear monitor pack never dies in the middle of a set, while not wasting batteries. I have a practice battery pile and then a live set battery that is only used for 3 live sets, then rotated into the practice battery bunch. Well on this particular Sunday I got distracted and forgot to take out my practice battery and replace with the set battery.

Our opening song has a loop and about 30 seconds into it my monitor pack dies. I then start weighing the pros and cons in my mind for trying to soldier on through the song or stop it now before it gets too late or try and awkwardly replace the battery without messing up the song. I ended up deciding it was better to just stop the song.

So I gave an abrupt, “ok stop stop stop” and explained the situation in a light hearted way and everyone had a good chuckle as I replaced the battery. I explained that now that the Holy Spirit had left we’d have to pray again and ask him to return. It was actually nice to have a good laugh with the body, sometimes with so much focus on preparation things get a little too tense and uptight. So that was nice.

After the set I led the church in a time of prayer for our Pastors and presented them with our humble gift for Pastor’s Appreciation month, but then right after all the elders were surprised to hear the body pulled together and got all of us a gift as well. It was such an unexpected and cool blessing, so thankful for everyone at LCC. It’s not often things happen in the church I’m not aware of so it was cool to be totally surprised, well done LCC.

1. Skeleton Bones – John Mark McMillan (loop not yet available)
2. Lead Me To the Cross – Hillsong United (loop available)
3. Live or No Longer Live – Kyle Campos
4. How He Loves – John Mark McMillan
5. Who You Are – Desperation Band

This post is part of Fred McKinnon’s Set List Sundays.

I’ve been reading Bob Kauflin‘s book, “Worship Matters“, and just devouring it. If you are a worship leader and have not read this book, get it, it’s a must read. It challenges me on so many levels and does a great job of pointing to Jesus in all things. This past week I read the chapter on Holy Spirit empowered worship. I was really convicted of my reliance upon my preparation and whatever amount of skill I possess as the main “empowerment” of Sunday worship and at a heart level I had to repent of not having a sense of desperation for the Holy Spirit every week. Though I might have professed differently, I think my mind needed correction.

One thing Bob said that had me absolutely wrecked was

“If the Spirit stopped empowering your worship would anyone notice? Would you?”

I take very seriously what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13:5 for us to “examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith.” So I had to think long and hard about this and really examine my heart, my actions, my thought process. This led to some really powerful and fruitful prayer time and I’m so thankful for it. Our practice, preparation and ability are important things, but are not most important, they aren’t the power in our worship. I need to make sure I have a desperate reliance upon the Holy Spirit always and certainly on Sundays. This may seem obvious and that’s really the problem. Because it’s so obvious and professed so often I started assuming that presence instead of praying desperately for it in my heart, and relying on it in practice.

This week my regular drummer was out of town and Jorge Gutierrez stepped in and played incredibly well. I’m blessed to have such talented people around me. Thanks Jorge!

1. The World Can’t Take It Away – Ryan Delmore
2. Dress Us Up – John Mark McMillan
3. The Solid Rock – Edward Mote (loop not yet available)
4. Death In His Grave – John Mark McMillan (loop available)
5. Hosanna – Hillsong United (loop available)

This post is part of Fred McKinnon’s Set List Sundays.

Our church is coming off 3 weeks of really a shift in mindset, heart and attitude in worship. God is moving in the body in many ways and it’s all being worked together for His glory. Our gospel communities are really taking hold, people are gathering around the gospel in diverse ways, diverse places with diverse groups and the relationships growing out of that are incredible. We’re in the middle of a brutal series called “Open Heart Surgery” that is attacking our idols and you can audibly and visibly see the impact of the truth spoken during the sermon. We have a lot of new people coming in, we have our membership in place, we’re in the middle of a financial shakeup(that’s good) and through it all the worship has been amazing!

This week we did John Mark McMillan’s “Death In His Grave” for our communion song. We did this song on Easter this year but hadn’t done it since. It is one of my favorite worship songs full stop, no qualifier needed. I could barely make it through the song and the congregation really grabbed hold of it. If you haven’t heard it, make sure to get it, the beautiful truth sung is just incredible. God is good, what a week.

1. The World Can’t Take It Away – Ryan Delmore
2. Dress Us Up – John Mark McMillan
3. My Soul Sings – Delirious (loop available)
4. Death In His Grave – John Mark McMillan
5. Hosanna – Hillsong United (loop available)

This post is part of Fred McKinnon’s Set List Sundays.

A few weeks ago we rolled out our new home group/community group/gospel community structure and I’m shocked at how much grace God has shown. Our groups are really taking off, people are engaging in community and I really think it’s building a sense of true love and commitment to one another in the body.

This week we announced our first batch of covenant members of LCC which marks another new chapter for us. I’m so excited about rolling out membership and seeing people commit to God and one another in a way that’s so counter-cultural, so against our ingrained, rugged individualism. I’m pumped about what’s ahead and if the last few weeks are any indication God is going to blow away my expectations.

1. Jesus’ Name – Ryan Delmore
2. God of This City – Bluetree (loop available)
3. Lead Me to The Cross – Hillsong United (loop available)
4. Gloria 34 – Taylor Sorensen (loop available)
5. With Everything – Hillsong (loop available)

This post is part of Fred McKinnon’s Set List Sundays.

Almost 1 year ago my family made a trip to Lake Tahoe for a family members wedding. We turned it into a nice vacation time and we just had a blast. But inside I was a mess struggling to deal with the financial burden my family was under. Our business had failed and the combined emotional and financial stress was intense. I woke up in the middle of the night shaking with my mind going crazy and I told my wife, “I think I may be having a nervous breakdown.” I’d never felt like that in my life, I’m usually a pretty calm and collected guy.

We prayed and really sought the Lord and asked for His spirit to heal our minds, hearts and give us wisdom on how to proceed. I really believe God answered those prayers because shortly after returning I was laid off with no severance and went unpaid for 6 months…with no savings. Had I tried to continue handling this weight by myself I may have jumped off a cliff, but instead those months of unemployment were one of the most fruitful times of my life and I thank God for it.

While in Lake Tahoe I started to write a song. The music arrangement came quickly and all I could sing over it was “Adonai“. I didn’t sit down with the intention of using that name for God, but I think God was trying to teach me what him being Lord really meant. I relented and laid down much of my life that I had retained Lordship over that weekend. The rest of the lyrics wouldn’t come until this last week and I decided it was time to sing it at church.

How well it went over I’m not sure, I’ll give it the same grace I give all new songs. A 3 week run and then we’ll review it. The song is called “Live or No Longer Live“, it’s a song of salvation and sanctification and Christ being honored whether we live or no longer live. Much of it is based out of Philippians 1. I will post details on the song and audio recording later this week.

1. Rain Down – Delirious (loop not yet available)
2. God of This City – Bluetree (loop available)
3. Live or No Longer Live – Kyle Campos
4. None But Jesus – Hillsong United (loop not yet available)
5. Where We Belong – Hillsong (loop available)

This post is part of Fred McKinnon’s Set List Sundays.

This was a weighty Sunday for me as I prepared a financial update from the church to share with the body. There wasn’t really any good news I could deliver except that we worship Jesus and he can change our hearts. I attempted to lovingly but firmly expose our sin of greed and money worship as a church. Not as an elder condemning with a pointed finger but as a member humbled and convicted of my own sin. I asked this question of the body:

If the only thing you received in return for your giving was a more full revelation of a life after Christ and the only blessing was more of Jesus in your life, would that be enough? I have no other prize to offer.

That’s really all I can say, I don’t have a sales pitch as to why we should give, I can just say if we love Jesus and each other our hearts will respond with overflowing generosity. If knowing more of Jesus, seeing more of Jesus, being filled with His spirit and loving Jesus more isn’t enough of a prize then it doesn’t matter how much you give because you’re missing the giver, Jesus. I pray for our church, I love our church and I desperately want to see God move in the hearts of our church in this area of great weakness, pride and immaturity. I pray that our church would know the kind of giving in 2 Corinthians 8:

“Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”

Here’s how we worshipped in song…

1. You Love Me Forever – Merchant Band (loop not yet available)
2. Hosanna – Hillsong United (loop available)
3. My Jesus I Love Thee
4. Gloria 34 – Taylor Sorensen (loop available)
5. With Everything – Hillsong (loop available)

This post is part of Fred McKinnon’s Set List Sundays.

This Sunday was a huge day for Life Connection Church. It marked our 7yr anniversary, and also the finds our church at one of the most exciting points in our history. We are blessed to have been sustained and blessed with God’s grace over our church and we’re making some incredibly exciting changes to our Connection Groups which I think our entire leadership team is incredibly excited to see happen. We had out anniversary party Friday night which my wife catered and words cannot express how good of a job she did. Absolutely flawless, absolutely delicious. I don’t know how she does it, but she’s incredible.

My pastor Aaron Dailey asked me in the week if I could do “God of This City” by Bluetree, made famous by Chris Tomlin. I’ve had this song in kind of my secondary queue for songs to do, I just needed a lot of time and inspiration on how to remix it. I have 0 Chris Tomlin songs in the current rotation, so I had my work cut out for me. Stayed up until 2am Sat night working on the loop and got it to a point where I was satisfied it could work in the set. I still need to make some changes to it, I’m not completely satisfied, but I’ve included a preview of the loop below and will post separately when completed. I usually don’t make public loops I’ve not yet finished, but it’s been a while since I’ve posted a completed loop so I figured I’d include in the process.

Great day, great service, just one of those services that felt fruitful. Thankful for my LCC family! And congrats to all the LCC interns that graduated, you guys are incredible.

1. Skeleton Bones – John Mark McMillan (loop not yet available)
2. Lead Me to the Cross – Hillsong United (loop available)
3. God of This City – Bluetree (loop preview below, RSS readers must click through)
4. Destructor – Red Letter
   
5. Gloria 34 - Taylor Sorensen (loop available)

This post is part of Fred McKinnon’s Set List Sundays.

 

 God of This City Loop Preview [00:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download