Caught By Surprise

Jess RayKids, Ministry, Multigenerational, WorshipLeave a Comment

Why was I so surprised? I scanned our choir room, taking in the sight of 40+ kids perched on the edges of their chairs. I was sitting alongside them as a helper, singing along to the songs Dave and I had recorded months earlier. As a brand new worship song filled the room, they started singing along – almost immediately … Read More

3 Reasons Your Church Needs a Children’s Worship Choir

David RayKids, Ministry, Music, Musings, Resources, WorshipLeave a Comment

Over the course of my childhood, children’s choir was an important part of my introduction to singing, leading worship, and faith. My debut performance in a church children’s musical was in No Fibbin’ Mephibosheth as the eponymous character, the biblical “Tiny Tim.” Then there was the somewhat insensitively titled Fat, Fat Jehoshaphat where I played the priest Jahaziel. But this … Read More

New Release: Battle Belongs

David RayMultigenerational, Music, News, WorshipLeave a Comment

“Oh God, the battle belongs to you!” Every time I sing these words I think about what a powerful statement of trust it is. In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat and the Israelites were facing a fearsome enemy, but God sent this message to them through His prophet: This is what the Lord says to you: “Do not be afraid … Read More

Coming Soon: Battle Belongs

David RayMultigenerational, Music, News, WorshipLeave a Comment

Battle Belongs releases Monday, February 1! This powerful song by Phil Wickham is such a perfect statement for this moment in time. We are super pumped to create a version that is easy for kids to sing and will be perfect for your children’s worship or kids choir, or even a multi-gen service. The video will be available on our … Read More

4 Reasons We Sing “Reckless Love”

David RayMinistry, Music, Musings, Worship4 Comments

I lead worship at Salem Lutheran Church in the Houston area. Recently, like many of you, we began singing the song “Reckless Love.” It’s a provocative image – calling God’s love “reckless” – that comes out of the parables Jesus tells in Luke 15, most specifically the Parable of the Lost Sheep. If you haven’t heard it, take a listen: … Read More

Why Family Worship?

David RayMinistry, Multigenerational, WorshipLeave a Comment

We all know parents are intended to be the primary spiritual leaders for their kids. In fact, a study by the Barna Group indicated that 85% of parents with kids under the age of 13 believe exactly that. And yet the same study also found that “a majority of parents do not spend any time during a typical week” (emphasis … Read More

The Major Shift in Worship and Children’s Ministry that No One Is Talking About

David RayFamily, Kids, Ministry, Multigenerational, Preschool, Worship6 Comments

A cosmic paradigm shift has occurred in the worship and children’s ministries of many churches. And though somehow this shift seems to have occurred under the radar, church leaders are awakening to its true significance. For a large and vital segment of our congregations, the role of worship leader has been transferred out of the worship ministry and given to … Read More

Open the Eyes of My Heart

David RayMusings, Worship1 Comment

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart. It had been a long time since I sang these familiar words, but there I was on Wednesday night at Lifeway’s WorshipLife Event in Gatlinburg, TN, singing along as Paul Baloche led us with just his acoustic guitar in hand. It brought me way back, back to … Read More