An online magazine for pastors and church leaders.

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Creative

Simplifying the Sunday Morning Story

Simplifying your Sunday morning?story is no easy task. We are each gifted a canvas from which we are called to create.?Each week, that canvas is going to be relatively similar. That’s the nature of creating in church. So with this redundancy, how do we even approach simplifying the Sunday morning?story? The first and most important […]

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Creative Social Media

Making Room for Creativity

It started with silence. Nothing. Complete blackness. And then? BANG (if you will) A word was spoken. LIGHT And it was so. On it went for a few more days?things being made. Something from nothing. The beauty was staggering. We can see it still today, in fact. And then the Creator’s greatest achievement, the thing […]

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Creative Social Media

Simple Visuals

Before reading,?click here and ‘Like’ CreationSwap.com. If you’re into downloading thousands of high quality free church graphics, logos, photos and more, visit?CreationSwap.com.   Creating artwork for the purpose of design is more accessible now than ever. We live in a time where a program can literally do a good portion of the design for us. […]

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Creative Social Media

Lighting Color Theory

Before reading, click here and ‘Like’ CreationSwap.com. If you’re into downloading thousands of high quality free church graphics, logos, photos and more, visit CreationSwap.com.   Color impacts. However, in all my experience with worship and church services, I see so many occasions where the importance of color theory is quickly brushed aside?most of the time […]

Categories
Worship

Teaching Your Band Simplicity

Every weekend people gather in churches and ministry centers to participate in singing songs of worship to God. For those of us who are worship leaders, we have the immense joy in choosing those songs. Now there are many different cultural backgrounds as well as schools of thought in the choices of music we play. […]

Categories
Worship

Songwriting ? A Good Hook

When I think of a good hook, I usually think of something that is catchy and that will make me remember the song ? like a little melody or a certain phrase that repeats. Most catchy pop tunes on the radio today focus on this kind of hook. Keep it simple. Keep it themed. Keep […]

Categories
Worship

Worship Album Reviews

Bethel Music -?The Loft Sessions Comfortable. Refreshing. Unique. These are three words that describe Bethel Music?s album The Loft Sessions. With accessible songs that are creative and thoughtful, The Loft Sessions is a welcomed departure from the commonplace, over-produced albums so common nowadays. There are so many musical textures in this album that can?t go […]

Categories
Leadership

Identifying Constricting Traditions

Traditions are traps. We’ve all been to the traditional church. They’re consumed with liturgy. They sing hymns and do responsive readings. They have stained glass icons and golden flourishes adorning their walls. You won’t see drums, electric guitars, or v-neck t-shirts on the stage. While some people legitimately experience God in liturgical or traditional churches, […]

Categories
Leadership

Church Profile ? Soul City Church

The Chicago landscape is scattered with few vibrant churches committed to transformation of both hearts and society; usually one value is compromised on behalf of the other. When an urban church gets the formula right, it makes a huge impact on not only the lives of its members, but on the lives of those who […]

Categories
Technology

Steps to Clarity in Your Mix

Ever find yourself listening to a song, maybe even the one you?re sitting behind the console mixing, and think to yourself ?this doesn?t sound right?? The song may have started off sounding alright but as it built it seemed to get out of hand. Instruments in the song seem to be piled on top of […]

Categories
Technology

Simplifying Your Monitor Mix

Monitor mixes are critical for achieving a great sound from a band.? The musicians need to hear themselves and other band members clearly so they can lock in and blend well as a group.? While there are multiple techniques and approaches for mixing monitors, there are some very basic things you can do to simplify […]

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Communication & Marketing Social Media

Social Media ? Who Needs It?

The last time I read my Bible there wasn’t anything mentioned about social media. No one was live blogging the Sermon on the Mount. The disciples weren’t able to send a Facebook invite to everyone: ?Join us on the hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee to hear Jesus teach.? (If they had, they could have […]

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Communication & Marketing

Listening to the Twitterverse

Twitter: Silly name. Big impact. Believe it or not, not everyone is tweeting about the sandwich they had for lunch. Some churches are even using Twitter as a digital missions field. Maybe it’s time you consider integrating Twitter into your Sunday morning worship service? I know, I know. For some of you, that’s a stretch. […]