Josh Hamrick

Archive for the ‘Worship’ Category

Being a fellow Carolina native, I heard of John Mark a few years ago. Some other worship leaders in the area were beginning to use his songs, even then, before “How He Loves” had blown up on the national scene. With Integrity Music’s release of The Medicine,  McMillan’s reputation will surely be furthered, not only as a songwriter, but as a singer and worship leader, too.

This disc is different from basically any worship project you’ve heard. That’s a good thing. McMillan finds a way to sound both firmly rooted, yet new and inventive. This is NOT the U2-lite that we have come to expect from worship CD’s. I’m not even completely sure I’d label this as a worship CD. It is just good art that happens to be done in worship of Jesus. Much like you wouldn’t call Bob Marley “Rasta-music”, you wouldn’t call John Mark “Christian music”. The lyrical content is certainly Christian, unashamedly so. The music, however, is so genuine and authentic that you simply want to take it for what it is. You respect it as art, and therefore the overt Christianity in the lyrics comes across as natural and unforced. I certainly, appreciate that.

My favourite songs on the disc are “Skeleton Bones” and “Death in His Grave”. The entire disc fits together well though, calling to mind the days when an album was a work of art, before digital downloads killed that business.

If I had to throw this in with other artists, it would be like an indie Springsteen. Maybe something like fellow North Carolinian Ryan Adams. Good stuff. Earthy and artistic, this is the Christian music that the world needs to hear.

(John Mark McMillan’s The Medicine is available on I-TUNES. )

For the first time in several years, my sisters and I will be singing together this Sunday morning. We will be leading worhsip at Patterson Springs starting at 10:45am. Don’t miss it! My sisters can sing!

Also, wanted to point you guys to another new project I’m involved in: worshipministry.com . This site is full of resources for worship leaders, and I am bloggin there every Wednesday. Check it out!

For all the PSBC folks, we’ll be back to our regular schedule this week. Practice at 5, be there!

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

Yep. This is what my Pastor spoke about Sunday, and it really put a damper on the pity party I was prepared to throw for myself. It is easy to rejoice when things are going good. Lately, in my little world, I have a bunch of craziness going on.  For starters, I’ve had a headache for about six weeks now. That’s not much fun.  Many of my friends and family are also enduring health problems. Some quarreling and confusion among friends, and I love them all. Also, several friends who live in Nashville, and the flooding is threatening their homes and livelihoods.

Woo-hooo! Right?…Partay time!!!Yeah?

Well, yes. Rejoice in all things. Aneurysm? Rejoice! Floods? Rejoice! Oil Spills? Rejoice! Again, I say Rejoice.

Don’t get me wrong, none of these things is fun to deal with, and God knows that. Paul was suffering in a Roman prison when he wrote that verse, so he knows, too.  So, why do we rejoice?

Because we have a Saviour who loves us.

Because He is my friend.

Because He is.

What happened at your church this weekend? If you were at my church, what did you think?

Hey folks! Sorry for being late. Thought I had already done this…woops

So, we’re gonna take it easy for the next couple of weeks so we can devote more time to the Easter songs at practice.

Here’s the songs!

Holy is the Lord

You Are Worthy of my Praise

Surrender

Thanks again! See you tomorrow morning.

Okey Dokey, Here ya go:

Forever

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_dsZpcA2R8]

Your Name

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5i2pELpqBg]

Surrender

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB9avoFdYrU]

1 verse and chorus of I Surrender All

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x2IpLSfqp8]

Again, PSBC folks, I can’t tell you how blessed I am to be able to know and work with each of you. Let’s continue praying and working towards a missional mindset. How can we be more effective in impacting our community with the Gospel of  Jesus?

I hope you’ve had an incredible week. I can’t wait to worship with you again on Sunday!

Your Grace is Enough

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI5Yiyv5O0s]

Lord, Reign in Me

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIfCN3ogy34]

God of Wonders

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7F-B2DLvAQ]

You are my All in All

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnHlMN6zaOc]

Here’s the 3/14 list. Hope everyone is haing a great week, and I can’t wait to worship with you on Sunday!

Just a note -  want to remind you all that I am keeping these a week ahead. This is for next Sunday, not this Sunday.

Beautiful One

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONPlqLTRBI0]

Surrender

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IORMvbM_x8]

Enough

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHEm-b4IRYk]

Mighty to Save

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08YZF87OBQ]

I can be easily frustrated. Not really known for my great patience. If things don’t go exactly how I’d like, I tend to get mad and quit.

Yesterday morning, in his series on the end times, Pastor Steve revisited Genesis 6, and expounded on the story of Noah. The part that really convicted me was that Noah was faithful to what God called him to do for 120 years…

…with no visible results. No pats on the back. No great altar calls with thousands of people repenting. No response really. If that were me, I would have given up within the first day. I don’t take rejection well, and Noah got plenty of rejection.

Yet, he continued to push forward with the call God had placed on his life. 120 lonely, confusing, painful years later, it starts raining. And raining. And raining. The hope for the future of all mankind is sealed within the confines of the boat Noah had been working on the last 120 years.

I have to learn to be faithful to God’s call in spite of human response. Living in my heart is the hope for all mankind, and it looks like rain.

Anybody willing to help me build this ark?

Open The Eyes of My Heart

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wutmEjdbedE]

Your Name (and we’re doing it this time, no matter what:) )

God is Great

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y_6IFvXJD4]

We Fall Down

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34yPZiD8OMs]

So there you go, a few we haven’t done before, but they are all old and probably familiar. We’ll work on them.

Just want to thank you all again for your hard work and dedication. You are a wonderful group of people, and I am truly blessed to get to work with you. See ya Sunday!

So, it was a busy weekend with snow, Jamerson’s B-day party, and church, but it all went well, and we had lots of fun.

Sunday night, our pastor had an open question and answer session on the end times. I think he meant for it to last 5 minutes, and it went over an hour, and people were still asking questions. It was really a great time that I think alot of people benefited from. I am so thankful to have a Pastor that will think “outside the box” and allow the Holy Spirit to lead a service. Mostly, I loved the interaction. Everyone brought something to the table. The body was truly functioning as a body. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to miss too many of Pastor Steve’s sermons. That is some of the best Bible teaching I have ever had the privilege to sit under. However, I do wish our worship could be more interactive in some way. I am praying that God will lead us to where he wants us to be, and that we’ll have the wisdom to follow when that time comes.

Individually, I think we’d all have to admit that we aren’t the people God wants us to be. I know I’m not. I was thinking about it this morning on my drive to work, and the only reason I could come up with is selfishness. Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty more flaws, but that seems to be the one God wants to work on right now.

So, what’s holding you back? Are you willing to follow Jesus when He shows you the way?