"I saw my brother in these boys. I saw my son in these boys.”

First, we talk to an activist speaking out against violence towards blacks in America. Then, we hear how the story of one police shooting in San Francisco has been turned into a stage play.

Next, we learn why the Bahamas issued a travel advisory to the US. Also, we hear about the perils of "walking while black" in New York City. Plus, a daughter figures out how to talk to her father about race for the first time.

We end the show with “American Tune,’’ a posthumous release by the New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint.

Conditions are so bad in refugee camps in Greece, some refugees are considering returning to the war torn countries they came from.

Also on the programme, residents of a disappearing island speak up; a former Pentagon official describes one moment that changed how she thinks about drones; a slam poet from Sudan shares her poetry; and a Silicon Valley entrepreneur thinks manufactured diamonds might replace real ones. Plus, some new emojis right some wrongs when it comes to gender equality.

Picture: A boy sits on a bus as he waits to be transferred to a refugee reception centre in Greece, Credit: Yannis Kolesidis/AFP/Getty Images

In 1878, scientists all over the US witnessed a total eclipse of the sun. After that, American science was never quite the same.

Also: Sona Hosseini learns that being an astronomist….can be depressing; photographer Joel Sartore goes on a quest to take pictures of endangered animals before they disappear; why the American TV drama Twin Peaks took off in Russia; and we remember director George Romero who changed how we think about zombies.

(Image: A total solar eclipse is seen in Indonesia on March 9, 2016. Credit: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)

Bashar al-Assad seems to have a fan base in the United States. White supremacists and neo-nazis have worn pro-Assad T-shirts at rallies, while others have shown their support for the Syrian president on social media. Also, white supremacists wear t-shirts emblazoned with a picture of a notorious Romanian fascist; and if you're in Turkey, leave your 'HERO' T-shirts at home; plus, if you lived in East Germany during the Cold War, it may have been verboten to wear a Frank Zappa T-shirt, but somehow his music made it in.

(Image: A photo taken on March 4, 2015 shows a banner bearing a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a street in the city of Damascus. (Credit: LOUAI BESHARA/AFP/Getty Images)

Wilmot Collins came to Helena as a refugee. Now he’s been elected as the city’s mayor.

Also: Abdi Nor Iftin tells us what it feels like to win the green card lottery; we find out what award-winning olive oil tastes like (it’s kind of peppery); the Boston Red Sox get their first Latino manager; beauty contestants in Peru stage a protest against gender-based violence that goes viral; and a blind man, hoping to kayak across the Bosphorus Strait, turns to mythology for inspiration.

(Image: For Maddie, left, and Wilmot Collins, coming to the US wasn't easy. In their first few months in Montana, their home was graffitied with "Go back to Africa" and "KKK." But they stayed. Credit: Courtesy of Wilmot Collins)

"Some men dream of fortunes. Others dream of cookies." This is a real fortune cookie fortune. It would be a prescient fortune for Yongsik Lee. He invented the fully automatic fortune cookie machine in the early 1980s and built a business on his invention. The Korean immigrant sold fortune cookie machines and fortunes to companies all over the US. It was a good business until one day, one of his employees stole his fortunes and his customers. We get to the bottom of a theft that forever changed Yongsik Lee's life.

(Image: Fortune cookies on display at The Ritz Carlton in Miami Beach, Florida. Credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

This week, Microsoft announced that it detected and stopped attacks on US institutions by Russian hackers linked to the Kremlin. The attacks involved setting up fake websites that mimicked the sites of conservative think tanks that have been critical of President Trump. Zeynep Tufekci studies the intersection of technology and society and she says that foreign hacking and meddling exposes real weaknesses in America's digital security and politics.

Also: New York Times technology reporter, Sheera Frenkel, explains what tech companies are doing to get rid of fake news, deception and hate speech; a master of movie special effects recounts working on a little film called Star Wars; a new internet health study has us asking if the internet make our lives better or worse; and one of the bigger Instagram trends of the summer can be summed up in two words: sunflower selfies.

(The Microsoft Moscow headquarters at night. Credit: Mikhail TereshchenkoGetty Images)

On the night of Robert F. Kennedy's assassination in 1968, a photographer caught an image of the presidential candidate just after he was shot. In it, a young hotel worker named Juan Romero cradles Kennedy's head, looking up, stunned. At the time, Romero was just 17-years old. That night, that photo, and everything that followed changed his life forever.

Also: In Los Angeles, gentrification is affecting immigrant communities as once gritty downtown neighbourhoods become trendy places to live Activist and lawyer Lizbeth Mateo becomes the first unauthorised immigrant named to a statewide post in California; In Mexico City we visit a neighbourhood called ‘Little LA’; Finally, we take a tour through a score of Los Angeles’ of global ice cream shops.

(Senator Robert F. Kennedy stands among supporters in the main ballroom of the Ambassador Hotel, just after claiming victory in California's presidential primary. The Senator was shot moments later as he left the ballroom. Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images)

One of the stated goals recent United Nations report on climate change is to prevent the planet from warming more than one and a half degrees Celsius. We ask what would happen if the world warmed by, say, two degrees.

Also: Calculating the cost of climate change is doable but difficult -- too difficult says the US Department of Defense; we fact check President Donald Trump on one of his recent statements about climate change; plus we take a journey to the remote Alaskan village of Shishmaref, where climate change and rising sea levels are a present threat.

The fate of the Amazon is in jeopardy. Logging, cattle ranching, and soya bean farming are threatening its very existence. But the threat doesn’t end there; carbon dioxide coming from cities thousands of miles away is altering tropical forests and the climate on a much larger scale. In this special edition we travel to Brazil to find out why the fate Amazon is more consequential than ever and meet some of the people fighting to preserve it.

(Claudio da Silva and the Guajajara Guardians of the Forest ride up the Caru River to investigate a report of illegal cutting on Guajajara land. Credit: Sam Eaton/The World)

It’s been 40 years since the Islamic revolution in Iran. In 1979, many Iranians felt a strong sense of hope as change was sweeping through their country. Ayatollah Khomeini’s return to Iran from exile was one of the most significant moments of the revolution. Now, 40 years later, we’re hearing more of what was going on behind the scenes.

Also, we hear from two Iranians born after the revolution, who are so frustrated with conditions inside Iran, that they want to leave; we’ll look at how US sanctions on Iran are impacting American businesses; plus, the story of an Iranian-American navy veteran who grew up in revolutionary Iran; and Iranian women’s rights advocate, Masih Alinejad, explains how political hair can be in Iran.

(Revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini leaving the Air France Boeing 747 jumbo that flew him back from exile in France to Tehran. Credit: Gabriel Duval/Getty Images)

The United States census gets underway next year and the Trump administration wants to ask everyone if they're a US citizen. Critics say the question will discourage some immigrants from participating and lead to an inaccurate census. The Supreme Court will rule on the matter later this month. Also, a same-sex married couple has two sons ; one gets US citizenship while his brother does not; immigrants in New York find it harder to win asylum; a Russian grandmother becomes a US citizen; and a Brazilian-born musician took the oath of allegiance a year ago and now calls Texas home.

(Image: Demonstrators rally at the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on April 23, 2019, to protest a proposal to add a citizenship question in the 2020 Census. (Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

In recent months, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other Trump Administration officials have been trying to convince Congress that Iran has ties with al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Some say that the Administration is trying to establish this connection because of a law that the US Congress passed three days after the 9/11 attacks. That law gave then President George W. Bush the authority to go to war with al-Qaeda and any related organisation without Congressional approval.

Also, we meet Iranian-Americans who are feeling particularly anxious as tension between the US and Iran escalates; and we find out what possessions people in Tehran are looking to sell, to find out how sanctions are affecting ordinary Iranians.

(President Donald Trump signs an executive order imposing fresh sanctions on Iran in the Oval Office of the White House. Next to Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Credit: Oliver Contreras/Getty Images)

In 1987, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and US President Ronald Reagan signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. It led to the elimination of more than 2,500 nuclear missile. But as of this week, the INF treaty is no more after the Trump administration announced its withdrawal. Former Secretary of State George Schulz thinks today’s politicians underestimate the threat posed by nuclear weapons.

Also, roughly a year after the US announced that it’s creating a military space force, now France is following suit. It’s a 21st century military version of the space race; how hypersonic missiles could transform the future of war and diplomacy; and the widespread use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam war has consequences beyond Vietnam’s borders.

(U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev signing the INF Treaty in the East Room at the White House in 1987. Credit: Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

This month marks 20 years since Vladimir Putin first became prime minister of Russia. Now serving his fourth term as Russia’s president, Putin has increased and consolidated his power over the past two decades. We look back at the events that have shaped his leadership and the course of his nation. Also, we reflect on the past 20 years of diplomacy between the US and Russia; and when Vladimir Putin finishes his fourth term as Russia’s President, what will he do next?

(U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a joint press conference after their 2018 summit in Helsinki, Finland. Credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

The pandemic has not stopped children and teenage migrants from showing up alone at the US border, hoping to apply for asylum. But US policy has changed dramatically, and critics say that the Trump administration is using the pandemic as a way to halt any entries across the border.

Also, Guatemalans who have been deported from the US are being shunned at home over coronavirus fears; the coronavirus pandemic has also forced refugee resettlement worldwide to grind to a halt, dividing families and stranding them thousands of miles from each other; the US has a long history of xenophobia in times of crisis, which often influences immigration policy; Canadian nurses cross the border to work in the US every day, but the pandemic could change that; and the US-Canada border is closed for all non-essential travel - as a result, businesses in the Niagara region that depend on American tourists are suffering.

Photo: Honduran migrants wait to cross the international border bridge from Ciudad Tecun Uman in Guatemala to Ciudad Hidalgo in Mexico. Credit: Johan Ordonez/Getty Images.

Earlier this month, PEN issued a report that expands upon numbers released in September for Banned Books Week, when libraries and stores around the country highlighted censored works.

The post Jodi Picoult’s ‘Nineteen Minutes’ tops PEN America of books banned in schools appeared first on Boston.com.

Some election lawyers suggested that Musk is inching closer to the legal line.

The post Elon Musk’s $1 million offer raises new legal questions appeared first on Boston.com.

The paper was never completed after the teacher discovered its use of AI. The high schooler received a zero and was allowed to start again. He was given a D on the second effort.

The post Parents of Hingham student disciplined for using AI await federal judge’s ruling appeared first on Boston.com.

One is in Massachusetts.

The post 3 of the best places to visit in December are in New England, according to Good Housekeeping appeared first on Boston.com.

A new ranking by HomeToGo highlights affordable skiing slopes in New England.

The post New England has 3 of the country’s most affordable ski resorts appeared first on Boston.com.

According to city officials, 87,351 visited on Oct. 31 alone.

The post Salem reports a scary big number of visitors this Halloween season, breaking past records appeared first on Boston.com.

"We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience."

The post Steamship Authority ferry out of commission, vehicle reservations on hold appeared first on Boston.com.

It is "one of the most picture-perfect places to go for Christmas."

The post One of the best Christmas getaways on the planet is in Vermont, according to Travel + Leisure appeared first on Boston.com.

What's more, guests who book an overnight stay can score lift tickets for free.

The post A New Hampshire ski area is offering $4 lift tickets in December appeared first on Boston.com.

Families can take part in scavenger hunts, nightly s’mores, and more.

The post A Maine destination is one of 10 surprising family-friendly getaways in the U.S., says Thrillist appeared first on Boston.com.

Homan was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border and Trump’s pledge to launch the largest deportation operation in the country's history.

The post Trump announces Tom Homan, former director of immigration enforcement, will serve as ‘border czar’ 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.

Rubio was elected to the Senate in 2010 and has staked out a position as a foreign policy hawk, taking hard lines on China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba in particular.

The post Trump expected to name Marco Rubio as secretary of state appeared first on Boston.com.

Back in 2011, Belgian harpist Anneleen Lenaerts, now a soloist at the Vienna Philharmonic, recorded an album containing harp arrangements of Chopin’s and Liszt’s most ... Read more

The post 3 Questions with Anneleen Lenaerts, Principal Harpist of the Vienna Philharmonic appeared first on CMUSE.

I recently took on a new position leading worship in a small church on the outskirts of Nashville. They are good people and there are a lot of great things happening in those church walls. However, they are feeling the same stress that many of our churches feel today, and that is staying relevant with our ever changing culture in music worship and not leaving our senior population in the background feeling marginalized.  Let’s be honest, if it were not for their lives, traditions and heritage we would not be in those walls today. So what is the answer for young worship leaders today trying to navigate this tug of war? One word. Love. You have to love your senior people.

I worked for 13 years in a health and wellness center spending much of my days working alongside senior adult participants. One of the most important things I learned in that job was that when an older adult begins to lose their independence, they often begin to lose hope. And when people lose hope, they often grasp onto anything that is known and trusted in their lives. Change is difficult and people naturally want what is familiar. But I also found as I validated their giftedness and encouraged them to reach out to the people around them, they were willing to rise to the challenge and hope would begin to return in their lives. 

My fellow worship leader friends, can I encourage you to validate your people? Honor your seniors with a genuine love and respect. You will be amazed at the things that you will learn from them!

My current worship leading position is part time and I don’t have the luxury of spending hours in the office for drop in appointments and lunch dates. So, this week I hosted a luncheon for around 50 seniors who attend our church so that I could get to know them a little bit and let them hear from my heart. I sent them an invitation stating that I wanted to meet with them and explain to them why they are the most important key to growth in our local church.  Let me say right off, we never once discussed music worship in the church. Maybe someday...but not this day.

Instead, I validated them with a message that I have shared before. Here’s the message.

“You are valuable.”

Isaiah 46:4 - "Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.’

“This was a promise to the people of Israel.  But our God is the same God that spoke those words to His people. We are also His people. I believe today that God MADE you, he will SUSTAIN you EVEN TO YOUR OLD AGE.  Why would God do this? Why would He make this promise to us if our lives are no longer valuable here on earth? You may be retired from a job...but God has not retired you!”

I shared with them Hebrews 12:7 - “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?” I went on to tell them this.    

“Your history and heritage in Jesus is unlike anyone else’s. No one else can effect the world around you like you can. The lessons you have been taught and the hardships you have faced have made you who you are. And hopefully, we have all learned to allow those life lessons draw us closer to Christ and to become more like Him.”

We then dove into this scripture:

Eph. 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I reminded them that “God still has work for you to do... work that He has prepared in advance for you! That’s exciting! He has specific assignments just for you!!!!”

I went on to explain “God Assignments” as a way of life to listen to the Spirit throughout your day and be willing to act on His assignments when He speaks. Perhaps it will be paying for someone’s gas or spending time with a teen in the church. I challenged them to be faithful to ask the Lord daily and be willing to share with each other what God is doing in their midst. I asked them to speak out their faith because a younger generation is starving and thirsty to know that God is real. Young people can see fake a mile away and they are not interested in just “doing church.” I reminded them that no one else in these walls can testify to the reality of God in their lives the way they could.

I left them with this challenge:

“Young people hunger to know God...but they can detect fake and they don’t like it. How can YOU help them to see the reality of God? You can offer them love and acceptance.  You can invest in them. You can offer God Talk. God talk is sharing what God is doing in your life TODAY... answered prayer, sharing hope, sharing the Joy of the Lord.

Let’s face it...when you and I are gone... when Jesus takes us home... the future of this church remains in the hands of those coming after us. And if we don’t foster right relationship, testimony and genuine love of God with the younger generation, this church will not grow...it will die.  It’s a heavy assignment. But I believe it is the assignment God is calling us to step into.”

We closed with this scripture and very few dry eyes in the room. The Spirit of God was near and there was a new sense of awareness that we are called with a purpose...even to our old age.

John 13:34-35

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When the Spirit leads and we have another luncheon (as they have already requested that we do this again!) we will begin to discuss the importance of letting change happen in our music so that the same message of God is delivered in a relevant way that younger generations can understand. But not this day...this day was all about love. 

Submitted by: Shelly Head
Worship Pastor at Gallatin Church of the Nazarene

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. 

We continue the values conversation with Michael King and Dustin Smith.

This week, we recap the power of HIS presence, the power of his people and the power of the sound. We spend a significant amount of time on the POWER OF HIS PRESENCE, because that’s what defines us. We are really excited for you to hear this conversation. And to James, the Uber driver … thank you for the lyric contribution

“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! 

James & Dustin had a chance to sit down with Jonathan Brown - President of Integrity Music - to discuss unity and division among the people of God, and among worshipers in the church.

JB (Jonathan Brown) and Dustin both had the chance to be part of a tour with WeAreWorship, where they visited multiple church leaders in multiple cities.  There were so many great things experienced and along with that, there were so many things learned.  At the end of the day, we want unity in the the people of God and especially among the leaders of God's Church, and we need to have inspired conversation on this topic. 

Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

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On today's podcast, we wanted to cover a very important topic. It's forefront in our culture, yes, but it's also important in the church, too. Specifically, in worship and songwriting.  That topic is ... women in ministry. 

We here at The Worship Podcast (All About Worship & WeAreWorship) completely affirm and believe in the ability, anointing and commission of women to minister to the church body, and of course, to others around them. In a way, it's strange to even feel the need to type that sentence.  But as society and culture is starting to have some real confusion and controversy over this gender topic, we believe as Christians we should lead the way in freedom!  We should set the example in empowerment, equal contribution in the Kingdom of God and a general attitude of preferring one another.

Now, this is a huge topic!  So we wanted to sit down with someone who is making a real difference in this world.  Her name is Krissy Nordhoff.  She leads a ministry called "Brave Worship".  She's also an accomplished songwriter, anointed worship leader, wife, mother, and lucky for us, a friend of The Worship Podcast ministry!  It doesn't matter what "side of the aisle" you believe you are on when it comes to this topic - we can all benefit from having genuine conversation and even more important, listening.  

Find out more about Brave Worship and make sure to check out their podcast, as well!

And oh yeah, last (and certainly least in this case), Dustin & James don't mince words about their travels to India ... stomach issues and all.  Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

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Malcolm du Plessis has quite an incredible resumé when it comes to worship.  He talks about his background in this episode of The Worship Podcast.  However, he also talks about something - we believe - that is critical for every worship pastor, leader and song writer to understand.

And that is the evolution of worship over the past few decades.  Malcolm has experience and studied knowledge in this area, like few others do.  Listen in today with a close ear, and you may just find some answers to the question, "Why do we do things that way?", you've been asking.

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast and find the show notes:
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On today's podcast, we're sitting down with some powerful women in the faith - Krissy Nordhoff and Amanda Blankenship.  We're talking about an important subject for church leaders in general, but especially Worship Leaders, the motivation of ministry.  Enjoy!

The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

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Today's podcast is a car ride talk with one of our favorite people in the world - Michael Farren.  We're talking about the dangers of isolation ... it's a sneaky weapon of the enemy uses (many times) against creatives and leaders alike.  When you don't know you're isolating yourself from people and relationships, you need an answer; A shift.  Listen in to find out what that shift was for these guys, and what it might be for you too. Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
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I am going to do something that I rarely do.  I'm going to give you a practical tip for building a worship team.  One of the reasons that I tend to lean away from giving practical tips is because there are so many great worship sites out there who already lean on the practical stuff, that it can just get lost in the sea of information. But what I am about to tell you is something that you will very rarely hear anyone say.  The reason you won't hear it is because it does not have an immediate payoff and unfortunately we live in a microwave culture. If you can't heat it up and have it ready for consumption immediately, then we don't want it. The problem is that we have focused on our immediate needs so long that we have forgotten to build for the future.

If you have a large church or you are building a church from the ground up, here is my advice.  Work for today, but build for tomorrow.  I know that sounds simple and you think you are already doing it, but I'm not talking about working for Sunday and building for Monday. I'm talking about working on the immediate but building for the future.  Instead of just considering what your service will look like this week, consider what it will look like in ten years if you continue to do things the same way you always have.

I find that most leaders are so consumed with their weekly commitments that to think beyond next week is overwhelming.  I believe this is one of the reasons that the average lifespan of a worship leader at one church is about a year and a half.  We have focused on the short term so much that we have forgotten to make an investment in our future. When you are dealing with your finances you don't start over each day.  You take into account what you have and then you use it each day accordingly. But you also think ahead to future purchases, trips, family growth, etc. Most people are not choosing to invest in their ministry.  They are just running their ministry. Or their ministry is running them.

Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.  These are just ideas. They are not exhaustive by any means, they are simply to stir the pot.  They will get you to think outside of your week, outside of your setlist, outside of yourself.

#1 Instead of spending so much time on your team's musicianship, spend some time on their character.  Patience, excellence, good attitude, and peace will all help you have better musicians. If you focus on developing the music, then you will get better music.  If you focus on developing the people, then you will get better people, playing better music.

#2 While working with your current team, pour into a younger generation.  I am ok with hearing worship leaders frustrated that they don't have a bass player at their church.  What I am not ok with is hearing that same frustration five years later from that same person. What did you do during that five year period to train someone up to play the bass?  Get a bass, hand it to a 12-year-old and get that kid lessons. Then get your youth teaching the younger kids. Create a culture of music so you never have that problem again.

#3 When you hear about a problem, handle it right away.  I don't let problems carry into our future. Some people let things drag on too long because they are only concerned about how they feel right at that moment.  The pain of dealing with the problem seems greater than the pain of allowing it to continue, but that is never the case. Never let situations be in control. As a leader you need to be in control  I have seen too many situations control leaders and their responses. This means that situations are dictating your future because you have allowed it to be the loudest voice.

If you have ever seen a cathedral it is because someone thought beyond a day.  They looked into the future and saw you. They wanted you to know that there were some before you that believed in the glory of God and they wanted to create a place on the earth that testified to His greatness!  May we do the same!

Last weekend I went camping. Yep, tents, fires and axes. Now, I am FAR from a camping guy, but a certain ministry called Be Fierce was needing some worship and I filled the void.  Be fierce is a ministry that is, right now, dedicated for men. So I went and did what we all think men love...camp. It was three days of seventy-plus guys getting together and seeing what God would do among them. What happened next surprised me.

Now, you may ask, what does this have to do with worship? Or leading worship? Well, nothing really, except through that weekend I began to realize the power of brotherhood and how that can impact our families and communities.

You see there is power when we all get together and worship. The power of all. This is especially impacting when it is men functioning in this activity. Hmmm, in this day and age that may sound sexist, but Be Fierce has a mission and passion to see fathers turning back to their sons, and sons to their fathers. Also, for men to be handed the right tools to better take their honorable positions in their local churches. So, it’s not something that is sexist, but it is addressing the issue that has allowed men to sit back and watch their wives, sisters and daughters take positions that shouldn’t be theirs to have to take on.

The weekend was soon filled with voices raised and a fight in the spirit. I saw men come alive with the presence of God. It wasn’t through super hyped church services (only me and a guitar) or an overwhelmingly good sermon,  but through continued service to each other, shoulder to shoulder through activity and common union. There was brotherhood, and for many reasons that has been hard to come by. Be Fierce as a ministry had hit the nail on the head and saw a need for Fathers and sons alike to experience God, not through a good church service, but through each other - even if that was around a campfire or even in a tent. In this, they became stronger. They worshipped harder. They laughed louder and they helped disciple each other.

I can imagine the cave times with David and his soon-to-be mighty men looked similar. Men that talked and listened, worshiped and fought together through the best and worst times of their lives.

So, we shouldn’t neglect the need for men to stand strong together. Be Fierce encourages that, and they are seeing stronger families and churches because of it.

Over the years I have found myself in the midst of teams, as well as leading them. Here are some of my thoughts around qualities that make a great worship team member. 

1.  THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND POWER OF UNITY

They champion the vision of the church, team and leaders, and they are responsive and vocal about it.

They esteem others! They celebrate the wins of the team and individuals.

They always speak well of church, team, and leadership. 

2.  THEY ALWAYS COME PREPARED AND READY

They learn the songs. They know the repertoire.

They maintain their instruments and gear at a professional level.

They always bring their best to the platform, and they understand that this is a part of their worship. 

3.  THEY ARE TEACHABLE

They are willing and eager to learn.

They don’t just wait to be told, they are pro-active in asking ‘what can I do better?’.

They have the maturity and humility to handle correction, even when it is something that they may find hard to hear.

4.  THEY ARE CONSISTENT

They always have an attitude of excellence.

They live, not without, but above their emotions.

They are always warm, friendly and kind. They are approachable and relational.

They are loyal, reliable and faithful.

5.  THEY PRAY AND READ THEIR BIBLE

They have a devotional life of their own.

They prioritise their relationship with Jesus.

They are regularly in prayer and the word of God

They are a worshiper!

For more articles by Dan and the C3 staff, visit www.c3music.com/blog/. 

This week James and Dustin talk through the importance of discipleship and how it can strengthen our day lives. Do we really need it? How does true discipleship function? See what the guys have to say in this weeks episode. 

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