Having traveled a bit and visited many churches this past year, I see a pattern in the modern worship world. In fact, for the past decade I have been in that category as a worship leader. There are twitter feeds sharing set lists of the songs worship leaders choose. People in the pews or theater seats across America experience more of the same on their Sunday morning worship music menu than ever before. This one-size-fits-all thinking might be the death of true creativity. And, as a result it may flatten our ability to connect deeply to our community. 

There are guitar sites, Youtube channels, and businesses built on showing how to paint-by-numbers. This includes the tone, sound and look of the most famous worship bands out there. Even the hipster dress code, as I observe when speaking or attending at worship conferences, conforms to plaid shirts, Tom’s Shoes, and v-necks. The worst offender is the skinny jeans. Seriously, fashion sense is really not a problem and creative people lead in this. But, why so monolithic?

Today’s recipe for success is the “me-too” cover band. Churches echo sermon series and graphics from the popular houses of worship. Everything is downloadable with a click. A local artist recently said this: “Cover bands are where dreams go to die.” After dying in laughter for a few minutes, sadness overcame me when reflecting on our Sunday experiences. The idea of being an “artist” and the calling that God has given artists dies in a cut-and-paste mentality that pervades our Sunday programming. Creativity is really “copy-tivity” in this world. And, it goes beyond music, shaping the sermons preached in our pulpits, graphics on our website banners, and fog machines.

Some will balk at this perspective. They will ask, “if it works, why not use things that are efficient and popular?” “Why reinvent the wheel?” The idea is to measure the ends, not the means. “If a pastor in another town preaches better, why not use his sermon instead of your own?” This is faulty thinking. We create not because creating is our goal, but to create indigenously means the people I serve, the people I am called to reach and the city I live in matter. If we know the people as we should, we should actually be able to connect far better to them than someone else who does not know them.

We should employ good tools. Yes! And, the innovation of some churches challenges us all. Being influenced and inspired is one thing. Copying as a habit is another. We can take the best practices and become better. If we ban innovation, creativity and the skills and work this requires we may lose our voice to the very people we want to reach.

Do we lose our connection with people or increase it by Cut-and-Paste Creativity?

I am posting the lyrics of the song that inspired the “DRINK THE DIVINE” EP worship project. Sunday night the funding campaign ends. If I had about a dozen more contributors, I will be able to cross the threshold.  Please consider pledging. Supporting gets you a perk, allows the project to complete and supports charity (Doma International).

Drink The Divine
by Rich Kirkpatrick

I thirst in the dessert no food to sustain
I pray for revival a mountain top change
For this journey to lead me, from valley to hill
To count all as lost and eat my soul’s fill
My soul’s fill

Drink the divine, end your starvation take in the pure wine
Drink the divine, a mystical union with Jesus the Vine

Its not just commitment, or the good that I do
Or knowledge of theories that make my life true
Its you and you Jesus I need to embrace
Rejecting my ways and accepting your grace
Your grace

Drink the divine, end your starvation take in the pure wine
Drink the divine, a mystical union with Jesus the Vine

Religion’s elixir will waste us away
But the life blood of Jesus empowers today!

We drink from his cup and we eat of his bread
He said “it is finished” the Old Man is dead

Drink the divine, end your starvation take in the pure wine
Drink the divine, a mystical union with Jesus the Vine

© 2011 Rich Kirkpatrick/Tehilla Music

I thought of writing a book review but ended up with a song inspired by a book. “Grace found me” is a phrase quoted from the book All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir which is the memoir of beloved author and speaker Brennan Manning. We think we can earn God’s love, God’s favor. We can’t. Even at our best, most religious selves we fall short. We all do. And, at our worst, God’s hand reaches out for us. All we have to do is reach for it. His hand will find our hand. 

As some of you know, I am working on a worship recording called Drink The Divine. This worship project is about grace–the cross section of our belief in it and our experience of it. This is why I believe in giving away the proceeds to help a very worthy cause, Doma International. There are many who need an arm reached out to them. As we in our well-equipped and tuned church facilities cry out in song and prayer, our hand should be held out to the least of these. We are all ragamuffins, anyway.

Fundamentally, I believe that drinking the divine of Jesus includes how we in our human, earthy and real selves live out love to others. It is not an “either or”…it is a “both and” way of loving. Love God, and love people. Follow Jesus. Express your worship to Jesus. These we should not separate.

If you believe in this as I do and desire to support, please do so. There are only a few days left and your contribution will get you a small perk, sure. But, it will give a lot more. However, only you can help make that happen.

God bless and peace in the New Year to you and yours!

Here are the song lyrics to “Grace Found Me”.

Verse 1:
In the dark of doubt
I’m closer to good news
For it takes a broken heart
To finally hear the truth
A prodigal I am
Reaching for the Father’s hand

Chorus:
Grace, grace, you found me
From my shame I am set free
Grace, grace, you saved me
From blindness now my eyes see
Grace

Verse 2:
God’s favor is not earned
My efforts fall in vain
Yes, I have a broken heart
And I’m the one to blame
A prodigal I am
Reaching for the Father’s hand

Grace…

© 2011 Rich Kirkpatrick/Tehilla Music

Yes, I am recording a 4-song worship EP titled “Drink the Divine” and you can go to DrinktheDivine.com to learn more! This project has been long in the works and includes four original songs.

Head on over to WorshipMythbusters.com to Episode 11 and enter the CD give away of Rita Springer’s new CD “The Play List” which has been having great reviews. Ever wonder if there are some fresh tunes for the women who lead worship? You will find some answers in this CD. Also, I give a tribute on mentorship. Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I am releasing all over the world a new single called “Wonder of Worship” which is a techno-influenced commentary on how we express and approach worship in the Christian church today. I sat on this song for a while, then I found inspiration with the help of some talented young musicians who soon will be helping me produce a new EP.

This week you will be able to iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and so forth. But, today you can name your own price, including FREE on the link below!

The idea is we have sense of entitlement and then wonder why our expression of worship is lacking at times. We enter church like a restaurant and look to order our preference, rather than accept the challenge of giving of ourselves. We consume an experience, rather than make the praise of God something glorious.

I think you are gonna be challenged and have fun at the same time. Check it out.

Yes, you see the tacky decor already being sold at Walgreens in the seasonal aisle. But, if you want something without cheese and full of cheer, get the Smalltown Poets CHRISTMAS CD! It’s a non-monochromatic collection of traditional reworks and surprisingly tasty originals. A lot of Christmas CDs go too big or become silly covers. This truly is a musical work worthy of your listen, especially if you already are a Smalltown Poet fan.

To add to to the cheer in this post 5 FREE DOWNLOADS are being given away on this blog on Friday! All you have to do is leave a comment. If you Google+, tweet or Facebook, you get put in the drawing for each additional plug! That’s it.

Here is where to listen and get this CD!

Dad and mom here are very proud of our 17-year-old on the release this next week of her very first EP entitled “My Oh My”! Yep, her little brother is, as well as her whole family. We were blessed with a producer, musicians, mixing talent and more as well. This petite young woman with a big voice has already been turning heads with her sound and talent in the pre-release phase.

This project could not have happened, however, without the support of my social media family out there who crowdfunded a good portion of it. I would like to thank you guys for helping us be successful on TWO crowdfunding campaigns. (See EmilieKirkpatrick.com for the full story on that). There is not doubt in my mind that you guys helped us along with family and some close friends see this happen.

As you can see, the very first batch of these are in so we will be shipping before the November 5 release date to those that were Funders their copies as soon as possible! By Friday, you should be spinning these non-stop! [Go to Emilie.BandCamp.com to get your copy if you have not ordered one yet!]

Over the past year our family is weathering losing a job, possibly a home and being in very uncertain times. It has not been birthed in the most upward of times for us. So, this project has been an absolute blessing to us from you and a reminder to us of how investing in people, especially your own kids, makes a difference.

Please spread the word in Facebook, twitter and wherever you can. This is an “indie” endeavor which means only your recommendations can get Emilie heard and known. Her website has a place where you and others can stream the songs in full and purchase downloads or CD copies of the EP. And, we have listed some of the amazing kudos that have already been coming in for her project!

Thanks once again to my family and friends–both IRL (in real life) and virtual!

ALSO… please “like” her Facebook Music Page if you would. Thanks!

**A repost from my daughter, Emilie’s blog: Oh the humanity: What happened to my Kickstarter and Starting over!

You might have noticed a message in this song about being human, which is exactly how I am feeling at the moment.

I have a little story to tell you.

As many of you probably are aware of, I did a Kickstarter campaign and raised the full amount for my CD project One moment we were celebrating the amazing generosity of so many people. I was really excited about reaching the goal.

Then moments later I read an email that I missed from a few weeks previous that changed everything. I ended up not qualifying for an Amazon Payments account because of my age. I’m only 17. What an embarrassing ordeal to say the least!

What does this mean to you have donated? It means that all that money was not charged to you, thankfully, but it also means that I did not get any money for the project. So, what’s going to happen to my EP? Well, here’s the scoop.

First, this Sunday my dad and I are flying to Austin, Texas and I will be recording with Ramy on Monday and Tuesday. Yes, I am so excited! So, the project is going forward. However, I still need help.

If you pledged, you can move over your pledge to a new site where my new campaign is. It is called IndieGoGo.com. This means your support can still help this project go forward.

And, this also means that if you wanted to support the project and did not get to that you still can. But, act very fast, please. There are only 12 days left to help out. If you are wondering, helping out has some cool perks to enjoy–like a T-shirt I designed, a video of the recording process and more!

So I really do feel human right now and apologize for all the confusion.

Please go to my new campaign site and consider supporting my EP project! IndieGoGo.com/emilie

This video Emilie made explains it all. If she does not get the full $4,500 funding she loses all that is pledged. However, she is only about $500 dollars away. The deadline is Sunday at noon PDT! So, with all the football on this weekend, please get a jump on this and get your CD! Every bit helps.