Esmeralda, the last of the dogs to be adopted, is an 8-year-old dachshund mix.

The post One more dog left to adopt from batch of 27 that overwhelmed animal shelter appeared first on Boston.com.

In a recent article, I gave a broad account of the evolution of the violin with a particular focus on the work of the Cremona ... Read more

The post The Impact of Stradivarius on Violin Making appeared first on CMUSE.

Seventh album of darkly rockin’ blues from Londoners channelling spirits of New Orleans.

Pip Brown’s overdue second LP is as tight and catchy as a baseball mitt.

  With the conductor at the helm of any modern-day orchestra, what can be the reason for having an orchestral leader? In fact, what is ... Read more

The post Leader Of An Orchestra And The Role-Playing appeared first on CMUSE.

???????? Pats play bully ball

The post Tom Brady’s career crisis ???? appeared first on Boston.com.

The Celtics will open NBA Cup play on Tuesday with a home game against the Atlanta Hawks.

The post Watch: Celtics install new court at TD Garden ahead of 2024 NBA Cup appeared first on Boston.com.

Michael J. Fox, John Cleese, Williams Shatner, Jojo Siwa — and more — are all in Rhode Island this weekend.

The post From ‘Breaking Bad‘ to ‘Back to the Future,’ 11 stars you can’t miss at Rhode Island Comic Con  appeared first on Boston.com.

"This guy's like one of the greatest resources in football that we have, and they don't tap into any of it."

The post ‘It’s just not good’: Bill Simmons offered a blunt critique of Tom Brady’s broadcasting style appeared first on Boston.com.

“This looks a lot more like 2016 to me than 2020,” NBC’s Chuck Todd said, a reference to Trump’s victory that year over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The post Unexpectedly, news outlets wind up having a relatively traditional election night experience appeared first on Boston.com.

Ratings were dismal, and nothing Shertenlieb did with the program since launching in May suggested it was going to get better.

The post The reasons for Rich Shertenlieb’s show already getting the axe at WZLX are not complicated appeared first on Boston.com.

An investigation into the incident said the body was that of 86-year-old Susan Lauber.

The post DA offers explanation for burned car on Cape Cod, identifies person found dead appeared first on Boston.com.

Infections were reported between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11, in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The post Deadly E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders sickens 49 people in 10 states appeared first on Boston.com.

If you've been let go from your organization, is it appropriate to try to maintain the internal and external professional relationships you've made during your time there? What implicit and explicit rules exist around contacting former clients and colleagues? Elaine Varelas explores the many aspects of this situation.

The post Maintaining professional relationships after being let go from a company—Elaine Varelas advises on an appropriate course of action appeared first on Boston.com.

“A lot of restaurants are in survival mode, and survival mode creates a vicious circle,” said Dominic Benvenuti, an owner of Boston Pie, which owns more than two dozen Domino’s locations in New England.

The post Wave of job-switching has employers on a training treadmill appeared first on Boston.com.

The Massachusetts House passed a bill that requires employers to disclose data about wages and post salary ranges on job listings.

The post Here’s why readers want Mass. employers to list salaries on job listings appeared first on Boston.com.

Under the federal law, nearly all hourly workers in the U.S. are entitled to overtime pay after 40 hours a week. But many salaried workers are exempt from that requirement — unless they earn below a certain level.

The post Biden administration finalizes rule to grant overtime for millions more salaried workers appeared first on Boston.com.

The Texas-raised neo-soul singer gave Boston a performance that was both intimate and jubilant.

The post Review & setlist: Leon Bridges took fans on a personal journey down South at Roadrunner show appeared first on Boston.com.

Beyoncé leads this year's nods with 11, bringing her career total to 99 nominations.

The post Beyoncé leads the 2025 Grammy noms, becoming the most nominated artist in the show’s history appeared first on Boston.com.

Williams also talks Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, and Trey Anastasio in advance of her shows in Medford, Portland, and Providence.

The post Lucinda in the sky with diamonds: Lucinda Williams announces Beatles covers album ahead of New England shows appeared first on Boston.com.

The tour kicks off July 11 in Seattle, concluding on Sept. 13 in Tampa, Florida. It hits San Francisco; Los Angeles; Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Philadelphia; Toronto; Chicago; and Boston.

The post My Chemical Romance returns with ‘The Black Parade’ tour, featuring a stop at Fenway appeared first on Boston.com.

Most readers vote that whoever buys or gives the ring owns it, no matter the circumstances. Do you agree?

The post This is who should get the engagement ring after a breakup, readers say appeared first on Boston.com.

"There's just something about visiting a pumpkin patch, many with hayrides and yummy treats, that puts you in the fall spirit."

The post This Maine farm has the best pumpkin patch, corn maze in America, according to USA Today readers appeared first on Boston.com.

“Society needs standards. No bar equals low bar," one respondent said.

The post Boston.com readers are divided over Question 2 results appeared first on Boston.com.

This marks the first time in the 99-game series history that it will be played in New England.

The post Gillette Stadium to host Navy-Notre Dame football game in 2026 appeared first on Boston.com.

"I had to go down with the ship, buddy."

The post Julian Edelman explains why he didn’t join Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski on Buccaneers  appeared first on Boston.com.

As NAFTA talks grind on, thousands of skilled workers wonder if they will keep their jobs.

A Trade NAFTA or "T-N visa” allows citizens of Canada and Mexico to work in the US in a range of job categories. It could now be in jeopardy as the Trump administration seeks to renegotiate the trade agreement by the end of the year.

Also: There is a shortage of summer workers in Cape Cod, partly due to changes to a temporary worker visa program; as the US and China talk trade and tariffs, some in Shanghai wonder what it will mean for them; the end of Temporary Protected Status for some immigrants has an unexpected impact on US labour unions; plus we find out how TV reporter Lisa Howard changed the course of the Cold War.

(Image: Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo gives a message to the media during the seventh round of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) talks in Mexico City, on March 5, 2018. Credit: Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty Images)

Every Day Is Extra is the title of a new memoir by former US senator and secretary of state John Kerry. He chronicles his time serving in Vietnam, five terms in the Senate, his presidential run, and his tenure as secretary of state. He records a decades long pursuit of multilateral diplomacy and civil political discourse. John Kerry talks to Marco about the state of US politics in 2018.

Also: We visit a Persian bookstore in Los Angeles that sells banned Iranian books; Patrick Winn takes us on a ride through Southeast Asia’s drug-fuelled underworld; In her new memoir, Jean Guerrero takes readers on a cross border journey; and, a library in Canada offers a dial-in story reading service in 16 languages.

(Former US secretary of state John Kerry in the Boston Calling studio at WGBH. Credit: Steven Davy/The World)

The nearly 25 year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is to be replaced by the US-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA). The name might be very different but US reporter Jason Margolis says the substance seems very familiar.

Also: Roland Paris, Justin Trudeau’s former foreign policy advisor talks about the path to reaching the deal; we hear what the new trade deal could mean for the US auto industry; in cattle country NAFTA is still a point of contention; and we meet soya farmers on the front lines of Mr Trump’s trade war with China.

(President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference to discuss a revised U.S. trade agreement with Mexico and Canada in the Rose Garden of the White House Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The history of the US auto industry goes back more than a century, and Americans take a lot of pride in it. It’s part of the American psyche. So when this past week, General Motors announced that it is shutting down 5 North American factories and ending much of its passenger car production, that was big news and auto workers aren’t happy.

Also: A Spanish property developer has plans for the Packard auto Plant in Detroit, abandoned more than 60 years ago; then we check out Boston’s City hall, the archetype of brutalism; plus we visit a bagpipe factory, right here in New England.

(A woman holds a sign during a press conference with union leaders at in Oshawa, Ontario. In a massive restructuring, US auto giant General Motors announced it will cut 15 percent of its workforce to save $6 billion and adapt to 'changing market conditions.' Credit: Lars Hagberg/Getty Images)

The US opioid epidemic is a major public health crisis that has affected many communities across the United States. We’ll hear from an expert in addiction psychiatry who thinks that doctors bear much of the blame.

Also: What do you do if opioid drugs don't stop the pain? Acupuncture may be the answer; We look at how supervised injection is already saving the lives of heroin users; the Toronto police department launched a social media campaign, reminding people that marijuana is legal in Canada and not a cause for emergency calls; the US and Mexico join forces to crack down on the illicit drug trade; and the story of Steve Hupp's transformation from bank robber to shaman.

(Boston Calling producer Daniel Ofman stands next to a bus stop advertisement of Naloxone, a nasal spray that can counteract and potentially save someone from an opioid overdose. Credit: Diego Lopez/The World)

The US Department of Homeland Security is turning to facial recognition technology to keep track of people leaving and entering the US, but privacy advocates have serious concerns. Now, the Electronic Privacy Information Center has obtained documents from US Customs and Border Protection that backup their fears. Also, we visit a hair salon in Boston strictly for women who wear hijab; Thando Hopa makes history by being the first model with albinism on the cover of Vogue magazine; the phenomenon of blackface persists around the globe; and Orthodox Jewish women in New York observe an old tradition in a very modern way.

(Image: A facial recognition program is demonstrated during the 2004 Biometrics exhibition and conference in London. (Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images)

Next month, roughly two million Muslims will travel to the holy city of Mecca for one of the most important religious rituals in Islam. As long as they are in good health and can afford it, every Muslim must complete the Hajj at least once in their lifetime. But the Hajj can only be done in Saudi Arabia, which is making some people feel conflicted about making the journey.

Also, Dutton Books is trying to reinvent books for the smartphone generation with something called the ‘Dwarsligger’; Disney is remaking a live action version of the hit film ‘Mulan,’ this time though, they’re paying attention to their Chinese audience; Some women in Argentina are challenging gender roles on the dance floor, taking the macho out of tango; and in their new album, three Israeli sisters pay tribute to a family member going three generations back, from Yemen.

(Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world descend upon Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the hajj. Credit: Shirin Jaafari/The World)

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has made a pledge to dole out $10 billions worth of grants to help slow down climate change. Environmentalists tell us where the money should go. Also, an aid worker knows first hand the danger of landmines; American basketball fans say Slovenia superstar Luka Doncic is the game’s future; an update on why one American couple decided to stay on a cruise ship under quarantine rather than be evacuated; plus, a college course on the late Mexican American singer Selena and what we can learn about Latino identity and culture.

(Photo: Chief Executive Officer of Amazon, Jeff Bezos (R), tours the facility of the Amazon Spheres, in Seattle, Washington on January 29, 2018. Amazon opened its Seattle office space which looks more like a rainforest. Credit: Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images)

The former New England wedding singer won her “Battle” on Monday night’s episode — and will now also get help from Sting.

The post Snoop Dogg picks Mass. native Mary McAvoy to advance on ‘The Voice’ appeared first on Boston.com.

The post Book Club’s November read is ‘Swift River’ by Essie Chambers appeared first on Boston.com.

The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin.

The post Trump says Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy will form outside group to advise White House on government efficiency appeared first on Boston.com.

Stefanik, 40, who serves as House Republican Conference Chair, has long been one of Trump's most loyal allies in the House, and was among those discussed as a potential vice presidential choice.

The post Trump chooses New York Rep. Elise Stefanik as ambassador to United Nations appeared first on Boston.com.

Miller was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018.

The post Trump names former Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead EPA, adviser Stephen Miller to be deputy chief of policy appeared first on Boston.com.

“Either you stand with the powerful oligarchy of our country, or you stand with the working class. You can’t represent both.”

The post Bernie Sanders has some scathing advice for Democrats after the 2024 election appeared first on Boston.com.

Will get second goal
Will India register  first win
Will we get to play 1 more match in the world cup

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="5"><b>Pune FC decry format change by AIFF for under-15 event</b></font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="5"><b><br></b></font></div><div><span name="advenueINTEXT" id="advenueINTEXT" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="storydiv" id="storydiv" style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); line-height: 17px; float: left; margin-right: 20px; "><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; ">MUMBAI: The <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Pune-FC&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Pune FC</a> Under-15 squad would not figure in this year's <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Manchester-United-Premier-Cup&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Manchester United Premier Cup</a> (MUPC) following a change in its format by the All India Football Federation. <br><br>The AIFF has restricted the tournament to one club per state. <br><br>"In a shocking development, the <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/All-India-Football-Federation&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">All India Football Federation</a> (AIFF) and the sponsors of the tournament - leading sports apparel manufacturer <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Nike&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Nike</a> - decided to restrict the tournament to one club per state," a media release from Pune FC said, adding that the club to represent Maharashtra was chosen by a draw of lots in which <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Premier-International-Football-Academy&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Premier International Football Academy</a> of Mumbai got lucky. <br><br>"In the past editions of this one-of-a-kind tournament, all <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/I-League&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">I-League</a> clubs received invitations in lieu of the tournament, national body and sponsors objective of promoting grassroot talent (particularly Under-15s) of I-League clubs," said the club which added the change in format was not communicated to the I-League clubs by AIFF. <br><br>"The change was not informed to clubs. At least we (Pune FC) did not receive any intimation and came to know about the change late Thursday evening. It's very disappointing on the part of the National body," said Pune FC's Head Operations, Chirag Tanna. <br><br>This year's MUPC is to be held at Jamshedpur in the last week of this month. <br><br>"As if changing the format is not enough, the selection process for Maharashtra by the state body<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Western-India-Football-Association&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Western India Football Association</a> (WIFA) was conducted by a lucky draw! Premier International Football Academy (PIFA), Mumbai got lucky and will represent the state as per the 'one-club-per-state' format," the club said, adding it had used the tournament to promote Pune city players in the last four years of MUFC. <br><br>"The tournament provided players their first touch of professionalism. Moreover, it attracted a lot many to the game with the hope of performing and showcasing talent on a national-level platform early," Tanna said. <br><br>"I can only imagine how disappointed the players feel. They have been training regularly since July 2011 and these whimsical decisions taken will only hurt the popularity of the sport," he added.</div><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; "><br></div><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; ">________________________________________________________________</div><div class="Normal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; "><font face="'Arial Black'">What bull****. Yet another reason why youth football will never do well. We can say "Oh we have these FIFA Academies" but what about at Indian club youth level. This tournament should be for any team that meets a criteria. No matter how many teams from each state.</font></div><div style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; "><br></div></div></span></div>

Talking Christmas and Choirs w/Craig Adams, Worship Leader and Creative Director at LifeWay...AAW Podcast, Episode 176!

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Dear Pastor, 

You encourage me.
You also challenge me to my very core.

You’re always looking to help me improve.
Though, sometimes I act like that’s not necessary or possible.

I don’t always feel like you get me.
But then again, sometimes I think you do more than I understand

You’ve honored me by letting me lead your people.
You give me an opportunity to use God’s gifts in me.
I don’t always take that as seriously as I should, but I am thankful. 

I’ve sung off key and messed up many a song,
But you haven’t given up on me.

You haven’t fired me,
Haven’t replaced me with a machine,
Even though you’ve probably thought about it.

You’re my boss and my pastor, which at times is challenging.
But this is something that God has called us to do together.
I’m not saying that it’s easy, but I believe that it’s worth it. 

No matter what has been behind us, or what lies ahead,
I want to take a moment and say that I am thankful for you. 

I appreciate you Pastor!
Your worship leader

Transformation.  

As leaders, its a prayer we pray, a decree we sing over our congregation. We cry out for a shift in holiness. We desire a change of heart, for our church to be refined by the experience of worship. It’s easy to lift up your voice to the heavens, declaring God’s goodness and mercy, but lives are changed through the act of sincere transformation.  

Stories are powerful, and when someone comes forward with a testimony, something stirs within us. We relate, we believe, we hope. And that is the power behind transformational leadership.  

I was recently listening to a John Maxwell sermon, and he spoke about this very topic. I can’t take credit for the 4 points I’m about to share with you, but when I heard them I knew it was something worth sharing.  

We can read all the books we want on the types and styles of leadership, and honestly, it will always come down to your personality and how God has called you to lead. There’s no right or wrong way. But there is a truth that remains universal, and that is that leadership calls us to live life at a higher level. Leadership that sparks change and inspires movement requires a lifestyle that leaves no room for safety or compromise.  

All transformation happens through a transformational leader. Look at Scripture, for an example. Paul experienced one of the most radical life changes we see, and without his leadership, we would be missing 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament  

The book of Acts, at its core, is about how men stood unified and influenced an entire religious movement. King Xerxes was transformed by Esther’s faith and courage. Moses led an entire nation to freedom because he made the choice to live a life of trust and risk. These biblical heroes are set apart by their intentionality.  

They chose things normal people were not choosing, they honored God in ways others were not. This is what transformational leadership is about.  

So let’s dig into what it looks like for us to be a transformational leader amongst our church and teams.  

Transformational leaders see things other people do not see.  

Remember the story of the Good Samaritan? Many leaders passed by the man beaten and stripped that day. But it was the Samaritan, the unlikely hero, that saw what others refused to see. He transformed that man’s life through the power of touch and empathy.  

Are your eyes open to ministry moments? When you begin your rehearsals, are you so wrapped up in the sound check that you miss an opportunity to bless the new vocalist with introductions? Do you purposefully interact with those who serve unseen? Do you pick up the trash that everyone seems to dismiss? Honor is shown through the noticing. Begin praying for God to open your heart and prompt you as you serve each week.  

Transformational leaders say things other people do not say.  

Again, I am reminded of the story of Esther. She was told from day one not to reveal her Jewish roots. But when it came down to conviction, she had the courage to speak truth, and she was rewarded greatly for it. Transformational leadership takes conviction and bravery. People do not follow titles, they follow courage.  

What has God planted in your heart that needs to be spoken? What song needs to be sung? What person needs to be counseled? What words need to be said to yourself? Do not fear this part of leadership. Life and death are within the tongue, so use every opportunity to speak bold life over those God’s entrusted to you.  

Transformational leaders believe things other people do not believe.  

When Lazarus passed, the mourners came in droves, and Jesus was soon informed of his friend’s death. As He approached, Martha met Him there. She ran to Him and exclaimed, “If you had been here my brother would not have died!” The passage goes on as Jesus asks her if she believes He is who He says He is. She chooses to believe and even calls out her sister Mary to voice the same. This belief led to Jesus calling for Lazarus to rise from the grave, a miracle that confirmed that family's faith and legacy.  

Sometimes in ministry, we are called to believe beyond what even our pastoral leadership can see. Attendance, salvations, offerings, healings. Transformation happens when a congregation sees its leadership believing the unbelievable. It instills hope and trust in a God that is bigger than what we see. What do you, as a leader, need to be believing over your team, over your church, over your family in this season?  

Transformational leaders do things other people will not do.  

The story of Daniel has always been a powerful one in my life. When King Darius decrees that no man should pray to anyone but himself, Daniel continues to pray 3 times a day to God. When discovered, he’s thrown in the lions' den, and I think we all know how that turned out. God honored Daniel’s obedience and willingness to do what others would not do. It took courage, it took conviction, but Daniel’s belief in God was stronger than the consequences. His heart was settled.  

There will be times where you will be asked to do what others might not do. There may be convictions or levels of lifestyle you must obey because you’ve chosen this path of transformational leadership. Your life might look more conservative, it might look more dangerous, it might look more financially minimalistic. Whatever God is calling you to do or to not do, have the courage to say yes. Have the gall to live boldly in your conviction. This will always have a ripple effect among teams.  

Transformational leadership is not easy. It is isolating at times and misunderstood. But trying to lead without a heart of transformation can only get you so far. Without the courage to see differently, speak boldly, believe audaciously, and do rightly, you set your team up for failure. So as we move into the summer months, take this time of rest and reflection. Use it to examine your heart and see what God needs from you in each of these areas. What do you need to say? What do you need to believe this year? What do you need to do that will spark change? What will you see that will lead others' eyes to open? Ask God to transform your heart during this season, and watch as it transforms your leadership. 

Michael King and Michael Farren continue the discussion on the main focus areas for All About Worship - Power of His Presence, Power of His People, and the Power of a Sound.  King catches up with Farren in the middle of the KINGDOM SONGS BOOT CAMP and there are some amazing takeaways.

“Stop leading songs and start pastoring people” - Michael Farren.

“What is the Sound the of Heaven? Its the people of God. Us. It is our calling, in whatever arena, to be His light, His hands and feet to a lost world. These songs are a declaration of the desire to walk in the identity of Christ and be the audible and visible Sound of Heaven.” 

-- Brad + Rebekah

This is the mission statement from the newest album released by our friends, Brad & Rebekah Bichsel!!  We had the chance to sit down and talk with this awesome couple, who both lead worship together, and have such a great heart for the Church.  Take a moment and listen in!  Brad & Rebekah share some personal things that they are walking through, and how this album is really a declaration of faith. And speaking of that album, check it out:

Also, take some time and head over to their website at Brad + Rebekah Music.  Make sure to check out the "About" section and read up on their story.  There's even some images and stories behind a few of the songs on this album - many times we write songs out of real experiences.  This album, and their stories, are no exception, and you'll be impacted by it.  If you're looking to get the album ( YOU SHOULD! ), there's a few ways to do that:

• Buy it on iTunes
• Listen on Apple Music
• Listen on Spotify
• Download on Amazon Music
• Download on Google Play

There's plenty of options there for you, there's no excuse!  Last but not least, Brad + Rebekah have even released multi tracks, chord charts & videos along with everything.  You can find that under the "Music" section of their website here.  We pray that these songs would minister powerfully both to you & to your church! 

The belonging Co worship leader Andrew Holt sits with us this week to talk about dealing with transition and celebration.

Andrew talks about his story and his transition into leading worship. Also, can we take celebration too far in church?  Some people may think we go too far ... how about you?  Listen in!

From the moment you read the title of this blog you probably started to formulate what you thought it meant. This is something that we all do on a regular basis without much effort… it just happens naturally. We see a title or just a snip-it of something and automatically start drawing conclusions as to what the context is. This is a habit that I am personally trying to break in my life and I hope that we (the church at large) can get better at this as well. But with that said… it is pretty natural to do so. 

This blog is not so much about the theological contradictions that we sing or write. It’s not about the actions we sing about and don’t do. (Like singing, “I lift my hands” while I play guitar and can’t. Or something like, “I bow down” while I am literally standing. Or even making grandiose declarations of what we are going to do for God but have no intention of really doing them.) I can think of a bunch of these but nevertheless… I digress. 

A few years ago I was prepping to speak at a worship school. It was in the early morning and I was asking the Holy Spirit what direction we should go. I had my Evernote App full of great ideas to speak on but then I heard the Spirit say something I wasn’t expecting… 1 Corinthians 13. To be honest, I kind of rolled my eyes. I was like, “The love stuff? Why? This in not a wedding or even Valentine’s Day. Why this passage for the worship school?” I open up my bible and read this: 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. - 1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV

I immediately felt the Spirit overwhelm me with a thousand different thoughts, verses, experiences, and revelation. Through the tears the Holy Spirit connected the dots for me. Jesus boiled down most of his theology and teaching on the law to this: 

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  - Matthew 22:34-40 NIV

These few verses bring together the simplicity of living out a pure Christian life. I want to highlight them briefly for the sake of context. “Loving your neighbor AS yourself” begins with YOURSELF. This portion of the verse shows that you can only love someone else to the extent that you have learned to love yourself. If your love for yourself is conditional then your love for others will be conditional. If you cannot love the image of God in you… you will have a really hard time loving or even appreciating the image of God in someone else. This is reflected in 1 John 4:20 NIV 

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

 About 8 years ago I had an encounter with Lord that shook me. I was in the middle of a meeting somewhere that I won’t mention. I ended up leading worship in a service where the speaker was a very public figure that had a very public failure. As I stood in judgment over this man I heard these very clear words from the Father: “Who are you to judge the extent of My redemption? If you can’t love him… then there is a lot about Me you don’t love. No matter what he looks like to you now… he was created in my image. If you can’t love him, a man created in my image, then there is a piece of Me you are choosing not to love. It also shows that you’re ashamed of what you see in yourself somewhere deep down and haven’t learned to love yourself fully because you feel he deserves punishment. Deep down you feel you deserve punishment. Your view on this man is a reflection of your view of Me and yourself.” As I heard this I wept and repented. There was more said but for the sake of this blog you get the picture. 

So getting back to “The Contradictions in our Worship.” In 1 Corinthians 13:1 Paul uses the illustration of a cymbal or gong. This illustration stuck out to me that morning as I was studying for the Worship School. A cymbal or gong creates a crashing sound. We have all heard it before. They can be powerful and even beautiful in the right context surrounded by melody and song. Alone they can be hard, brash, and abrasive. As someone who spent many years drumming I knew this first hand. Scientifically a cymbal’s frequencies look like a big crash when viewed on a live monitor. These are contradicting frequencies that create something called dissonance. As I pondered the science of cymbals I began to question how many contradicting frequencies were in my worship? How much contradiction was in the Love I portrayed publicly and privately? How much contradiction is coming from the body of Christ in general? 

It’s like our body language is off. It’s like when someone tells you that they love you with no expression on their face or body to back it up. It’s harder to believe because the body language is not in line with what is being communicated. Jesus is the head saying and being the truth but we, His body, are doing a poor job at communicating his true intentions for the earth and people. Our actions are not lining up with our words. I could write another whole blog just about this but for the sake of staying focused… I digress again. 

So imagine this with me… I have a drummer come to the stage, sit down, and tell him, “When we start singing I want you to bang those cymbals as hard as you can.” I have the sound man cut up the overhead mics as loud as possible and ask the crowd to sing a worship song with me. As we begin to sing, a crash of cymbals hits the air! It is so loud that it drowns us out completely. We do this for about 30 seconds then stop. I turn to them and say: “This is what our Worship sounds like to heaven if we can’t love. If our love for ourselves, the people we’re leading, and Him don’t start coming together… the melody of our life is drowned out in our contradiction. It’s not that heaven doesn’t want to hear you… there is just a sound that is louder than your love in that moment and it sounds like the crash and dissonance of contradiction.” As I said all of this I began to hear people weep. It was so powerful. We all repented together for the contradictions in our worship and to this day it remains one of my favorite moments.  

Since this blog is directed mainly towards “Worship Leaders,” hear me on this. I believe some of the most powerful worship leaders I have ever heard have been the ones who learned to fall madly in love with the people they are leading (the Body of Christ.) Like really love them. Not just tolerate them. I believe that this is the doorway to the purest worship, heaven’s sound, or whatever metaphor you want to use. The sound we all long to hear and be a part of is found through some of the simplest teachings of Jesus. Love Him fully, love yourself fully, and love your neighbor fully. I don’t care how talented you are. If you’re doing these simple steps that Jesus lays out… your worship WILL be pure. Your worship and life will start to be free of contradiction. 

My challenge to you is this: Let’s get better at loving. I’ve done multiple albums… of course I care about excellence and writing great songs… but all of the most perfect worship sets and songs in the world could not compare to the sound of a people who have learned to love. Love well so that it keeps your motives pure. Love well so that heaven can hear the melodies/worship of your heart. Love well so that His body language is being communicated to the earth. Love well until the earth looks like heaven.