October 20-21, 2006 - San Diego
This year's Worship Xcellence Conference was excellent as usual. Some awesome speakers and bands blessed the attendees while they worshiped the Lord and learned how to enhance their worship talents. Shachah, Scott Cunningham, Likeminded, and Brett Spross were this year's bands.
The speaker and workshop lineup was too lengthy to list. However, I was able to hear Chris Shaddix, Dave Rolph, Grant Magnusson, Danny Ulibarri, and Kevin Prince. Notes from their lectures are below. Enjoy and God bless!
Chris Shaddix - Worshiping God
There is one who can ascend the hill of the Lord.
Our sins can only be forgiven by the shedding of blood.
Jesus Christ became the propitiation (satisfaction) of God's wrath for our sins.
Jesus came to give us eternal hope.
All of our goodness and righteousness is nothing before God if we have sinned even once.
We have to be willing to ask God for forgiveness.
Seek to be perfect as God is perfect.
The promise of salvation is from God's Word; not from a human philosopher or any other created thing.
We worship God because He is worthy.
We worship God for who He is and for what He has done.
Don't worship God quietly, but use a loud voice and all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Meditate on the lyrics of the worship songs that you sing to God.
There is no good reason to avoid worshiping God.
If you avoid worshiping God, you'll be to blame.
Dave Rolph - Focusing on Worshiping God
Why is it so easy to shift between worshiping God and examining the beams in the ceiling?
During Job's worst day, he fell to the ground and worshiped God.
You're on the right path if you immediately seek God in worship when tragedy strikes.
Worship isn't only about singing.
Worship isn't about writing a catchy song for God.
Worship starts before you put words to music. It starts when you place yourself in God's hands.
You can worship God without saying a word.
You can't lead worship unless you're a worshiper.
When we come to the Lord and write a song to praise Him, the lyrics need contain genuine and legitimate content.
Every Christian song doesn't have to be a worship song, but worship songs should focus on God.
When we're focused on us, we miss Him.
Today, many churches are getting people to attend by telling them all the wonderful things God can do for them, without focusing on worship and the worthiness of God.
God is worth talking about!
Worship leaders need to deal with their issues before leading others into worship.
Anything that I have that's worth anything came from God.
God can take anything that we have because it belongs to Him.
Is God in charge or are you in charge?
God will do what He wills in your life whether you make yourself available or not.
God doesn't depend on your will to do His perfect work.
God will either lead you and you will follow or He will barf you up like Jonah when you don't follow Him.
Grant Magnusson - Electric Guitar workshop
The experience of worship is more important than the quality or performance of music.
If you want the church to worship, then you must worship.
God does not need you to lead His people into worship, but He may bless you with the opportunity to be used by Him to facilitate a time of worship.
He blesses us with our worship to Him.
He can use anyone He wants as an instrument of worship.
If you play to give glory to yourself or your abilities, then you aren't worshiping God.
If you help someone take their eyes off God and put them on you, then you're ripping that person off.
Skill without devotion to God will hinder the Holy Spirit's work.
Bad music does not become good music by playing it in the church.
The Devil doesn't want the church to be full of on-fire, great musicians.
How great would it be if the best music on the earth was created to glorify God?
God does not want us to bury our talents. He will ask us when we die what we did with the gifts He gave us.
Danny Ulibarri - Are You Set Apart?
God is mindful of us and the word mindful means constantly thinking about us.
God set us apart to have fellowship with us.
God created man to glorify God.
In 1 Chronicles 25, we find an entire family of worshipers; perhaps the first, family, worship band.
God wants to work in your life.
Many people have no idea what God is going to do in their life.
God doesn't need a 12 step program to save you. He has a 2 step program: believe and repent.
Are you truly being obedient to the God's calling on your life?
Is your calling firm and sure? Do you know exactly what God has called you to do? If not, it's time to pray about it and ask others to pray about it.
Are you fueled by a vision?
Is your heart filled with love and a passion for the Lord?
Servitude is like serving with the right attitude.
When you bear fruit, don't let it die on the vine.
God is looking for people who know what to do under adversity.
Stay focused on what God has told you to do.
Are your eyes fixed on Christ?
Don't let your standard be the church, your neighbor, or any other created thing.
When you fall down and fail, what or who do you look to?
Do you have a healthy fear of God and His Word?
Do you know when God is speaking to you?
Are your finances in order? Are you giving money to God and His ministries?
No matter how old or young you are, you have been given a gift.
Do you frequently worship God? If so, have you found your place in Christ?
Kevin Prince - The Making of a Worship Leader workshop
If you know God in a deeper way, you can fall more in love with Him.
We all know people who play better than us, look better than us, and have the right clothes and perfect hair, but if they don't have a heart for God, then they can't be used by God.
Don't forget that God looks at your heart and not your appearance.
Practice, practice, practice, then let go when you lead worship.
Let the Lord speak to you and through you.
See 1 Samuel 16:7, Joshua 1:8, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Revelation 3:7, Ephesians 3:20, Psalm 27:4, Acts 13:22, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 1 Samuel 15:22, Deuteronomy 4:7, Matthew 23:11, Hebrews 10:1-10.
Seek God like a thirsty tree searches for water with its roots.
Be glad that God closes some doors in your life.
It is about the Lord and His power in us; not us.
God has called everyone to be a worshiper; even if you never stand on stage or pick up an instrument.
We should feel powerful in the Lord because His Spirit is within us.
We need to have a lifestyle of worship.
There are different kinds of worship leaders.
We live our worship and we don't just play our worship.
God wants us to be men and women after His heart.
Your audience is full of worship leaders.
God may like cheerleaders on stage, but He definitely prefers devout worship leaders.
Don't try and be like the world in the church or on stage.
We're not just happy, clappy Christians.
Worshipers and worship leaders want to sing about how God is wonderful.
More Christian songs start with "I" than any other genre.
Worship isn't simply a genre of songs.
Jesus reached out to all types of people in His culture and so should we.
Do what God thinks you should do, not what you think you should do.
The church's worship leader isn't the true worship leader of the church. The head pastor is the true worship leader.
Don't be so programmatic in your worship services that you program God right out of the church. Be prepared to follow the Spirit's lead.
How much more could our lives be enhanced if we could give God more?
We need to pray with our worship team.
Do your best to stick to the program, unless you have the liberty to change it and the Spirit's direction to do so.
Imagine the smile on God's face as you worship Him.
Don't be afraid to pause and pray or have a few seconds of quiet time during worship.
Closing your eyes too much while leading worship can disconnect you from the worshipers.
If you're bragging about how humble you are, you're probably not humble.
Avoid introducing too many new songs in one set. Limit yourself to two new ones.
Be sensitive and aware of the culture of the worshipers.
Know when to have fun and when to be serious.
Be directive and transparent in worship.
The better we are in our craft, the more transparent we will become.
God will use you when you're being yourself.
Be prepared with extra songs to play in case the Spirit leads you to play them.
Consider how Jesus built His team when you build your team.
Don't worship worship, but worship the Creator.
Pour your life into a less mature Christian, so you can bless them and follow Christ's great commission.