3 Steps to Creating Transformational Moments this Sunday

A mentor of mine named Tom Jackson says, “Don’t just sing songs . . . create moments!”

I couldn’t agree more. In fact one of our core values here at The Journey has always been to not just ‘execute the service’, but to create moments of life-transformation in our worship services. It’s not enough to just play good music or teach a good message. We need to plan our services so that there are intentional moments where people can connect with God and experience life transformation.

Last week at the journey a moment just like that happened!

We have been in a message series on the 23rd Psalm and last Sunday we were talking about how people hurt us and how God wants us to release that hurt and let Him take it away.

To illustrate this we gave everyone a rock when they entered the service. Some were dirty. Some were jagged. Others were large and heavy.

All of them represented ways that we have been hurt in our past.

Throughout the service the rocks served as a reminder of just how much discomfort they bring to our lives, and how God does not want us to carry those hurts around. Rather he wants us to turn them over to Him.

So at the end of the service we wanted to give everyone a moment to remember.

We placed metal buckets down front by the stage, and during the final song we asked those who wanted to participate to place their rock in the bucket. Correction . . . we had everyone DROP their rock in the bucket! The idea was to make it a loud, resounding moment (both spiritually and audibly). And it was.

(In fact, it was so loud that I could hardly hear myself singing on stage.)

It was a powerful moment where people let go of the hurts that they had carried for years.

One lady told me that she had carried around her hurt for over 15 years. And when she dropped it in the bucket she finally let it go.

I share that story to say this . . .

It would have been easier to just teach the message and sing a song. But the truth is we may have missed out on those powerful moments.

So here’s my question to you . . .

Are you singing songs or creating moments?

Are you preaching messages or preaching for life change?

The truth is – the moments are already in your worship order. They are just waiting to be discovered.

This week as you plan your worship service here are 3 things you can do to bring them out:

#1 – Ask God to help you discover the moments of life-transformation in your worship order.

#2 – Talk with your Pastor / Worship Pastor and TOGETHER plan how you will creatively draw that moment out of the Worship Order.

#3 – Don’t stop with this Sunday, but work to find those moments every week.

Not every Sunday will be a big “come forward and drop it in the bucket” kind of moment. The goal isn’t to “out-do yourself” every week, but to prayerfully plan your services far enough in advance that you have time to discover and draw out the powerful moments of life-transformation, whatever it may be.

Praying for you and your services to life- transformational this Sunday!
Your partner in ministry,

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PS – If you are serious about creating moments of life transformation in your services every week let me encourage you to pick up the Planning Worship Services for Life Transformation Workshop.

In this powerful, six hour workshop, my Lead Pastor Nelson Searcy and I will teach you the proven principles and practices that helped us stay weeks, months, even a year planned in advance, and have given us the time to discover the life-transforming moments in each worship order.

Recorded LIVE, Planning Worship Services for Life Transformation Workshop also includes more than 15 additional resource files, including:

  •  Fill in the blank workshop notes
  • Sample worship orders
  • Sample band notes
  • Sample message transcript
  • Sample planning notes, calendars and assignments
  • Sample ideas and resources
  • And much more!
This is a nuts and bolts resource that will teach you to make the most of your weekly worship times through effective, God honoring planning.
And if you aren’t absolutely satisfied with this resource (or any of my resources for that matter) simply return your product within 365 days for a prompt and courteous refund.

OR

TUESDAY MORNING INSIGHTS is Jason Hatley’s free weekly training resource specifically designed to provide you as a worship leader with proven principles, tips and practices to help you lead a healthy and thriving Worship Arts Team.About Jason Hatley and Worship Leader Insights.
Jason HatleyIn 2002, Jason Hatley helped launch The Journey Church in New York City, directing the programming of their worship services. He serves as the Pastor of Worship Arts and built from scratch The Journey’s worship arts team, a group of over 200 artists and technicians who develop and implement the creative and technical elements at weekly Sunday services. The Journey has been recognized as one of Outreach Magazines fastest growing and most creative churches.

Jason has been a worship leader since 1996. He invests in Worship Pastors around the country through interactive coaching networks and worship planning resources. He has been a featured break-out speaker at the Willow Creek Arts Conference, The Purpose Drive Worship Conference, as well as seminars around the country. He has a B.M. in Sacred Music Performance from Appalachian State University.
Jason is the author of Engage: A Guide to Creating Life-Transforming Worship Services and Revolve: A New Way to See Worship as well as over a dozen worship leader personal and ministry growth resources.

Jason and his family currently live in Boca Raton, FL where he serves as the Pastor of Worship Arts at The Journey’s newest campus in South Florida.

FREE Planning Your 2012 Preaching Calendar Webinars – This Week Only

I just found out that my Lead Pastor, Nelson Searcy, is leading four FREE webinars this week to help you and your pastor plan your 2012 Preaching Calendar.

Recently you received my article about the importance that planning the preaching in your church (whether you are a pastor or worship leader) has on relieving the stress of week-to-week worship planning. It’s foundational!

And now – you can plan your 2012 Preaching Calendar with Nelson in one of four FREE 75-minute webinars this week.

Here’s the official invitation from Nelson himself as well as the details for how to register . . .

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Keep Your Congregation Engaged in Worship

We have all had them . . . the days where we feel like the people in our churches are completely disengaged during the worship set.

The music may be top notch, you may be enjoying the presence of God personally, but the congregation just isn’t with you.

Our most basic calling as worship leaders is to lead people into worship, but sometimes the old adage holds true . . . you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

In today’s Tuesday Morning Insight, I want to share with you some ideas for how to keep your congregation engaged in the worship set in a brand new, FREE audio training podcast.

Just click here to listen in now.

Read more

An Early Christmas Gift – the 2012 Preaching Calendar

Jason HatleyLast week, Nelson (my Lead Pastor) gave me an early Christmas gift.

No, it didn’t come wrapped in paper, and it wasn’t a light-up reindeer sweatshirt. But, it was one of the best gifts that a worship leader will ever receive from their pastor.

This gift will likely save me weeks of time and tons of stress over the next year. It will no doubt make me more effective. If you’re thinking the new iPhone, then you’re still way off.

It was The Journey’s one-year preaching calendar.

This preaching calendar outlines the topics and titles of the messages we will teach here at The Journey for nearly every Sunday between now and December 2012. But it’s really more than that.

Read more

FREE Special Report Shares the Secrets to Planning Powerful Christmas Services

Jason HatleyMerry Christmas!
That’s what the over-sized Snowman in Home Depot said last weekend when I walked in to buy some light bulbs.

My daughter Abigail and I just laughed. The Christmas trees, snowmen and Santa Claus’s were right there beside the ghosts, witches and Halloween candy.
I bet you’ve seen the same thing in your city, too!
And while it may seem strange to see Christmas decorations out SO early this year, it’s NOT too early to start planning your Christmas services.

In fact, NOW is exactly the time you need to start planning for Christmas and that’s what I want to help you do in my Planning Powerful Christmas Services Special Report – a $23.95 value, now available FREE!

Download your Free Planning Powerful Christmas Services special report here.

I wrote this report after planning a decade of Christmas services with our team here at The Journey and having received so many questions about this topic in my coaching networks. I have captured some the most important lessons we’ve learned in the process and put them in this special report for you.

In this Special Report, you will discover:

  • Three MUST KNOW Christmas planning principles
  • How to involve your volunteer team in the Christmas planning process
  • How to overcome the desire for “opulence” and strive for “excellence”
  • The basic ingredients for powerful Christmas services . . . and how to add in additional creative elements
  • The #1 mistake that many churches make that keep their Christmas services from being life-transformational (*Hint – it’s not what you think!)
  • How to select music for the Christmas season
  • When to schedule volunteers and/or hired musicians for your Christmas services
  • And much more!

Christmas services can be some of the most memorable, and life-transforming services you do all year. But not if they are put together last minute, without a spark of creativity to capture the wonder of Christmas.

Whether you are preparing for the advent season, producing your own Christmas production, or need some ideas for your Christmas Eve service, don’t let another year go by just doing the same thing you did last year.

This special report can you help you get started in planning your Christmas services and ensure that this year’s Christmas services are all that they can be.

Download your Free Planning Powerful Christmas Services special report here.

And if the special report is helpful for you, be sure to forward this email to some other worship leaders you know that might enjoy this limited time free report.

Your partner in ministry,

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PS – You don’t have to wait for Christmas to start planning your worship services in advance. You can create life transforamtional worship services EVERY Sunday with the Planning Worship Services for Life Transformation Workshop.

In this powerful, six hour workshop, my Lead Pastor Nelson Searcy and I will teach you the proven principles and practices that have made the Journey Church in NYC one of the most innovative and effective churches in America.

In this resource you will learn:

  • How to maximize the worship time you have each weekend
  • How the pastor and worship leader can effectively work together
  • How to plan dynamic and effective worship orders
  • How to use media, drama and testimony that captures the heart of your people
  • How to create a healthy and focused team environment
  • How to use feedback that ”builds up” and makes every service better
  • How to plan ahead so you can break the Sunday to Sunday tyranny
  • How to build all the elements of the service around the message
  • And much more!

This 6-hour workshop will teach you proven principles and practices to increase your worship planning effectiveness.

Recorded LIVE, Planning Worship Services for Life Transformation Workshop also includes more than 15 additional resource files, including:

  • Fill in the blank workshop notes
  • Sample worship orders
  • Sample band notes
  • Sample message transcript
  • Sample planning notes, calendars and assignments
  • Sample ideas and resources
  • And much more!

This is a nuts and bolts resource that will teach you to make the most of your weekly worship times through effective, God honoring planning.

And if you aren’t absolutely satisfied with this resource (or any of my resources for that matter) simply return your product within 365 days for a prompt and courteous refund.

Immediately download the complete mp3 audio files and full resources and SAVE $100.00!
OR
Secure your 6-CD set here

www.worshipleaderinsights.com
www.jasonhatley.wordpress.com

TUESDAY MORNING INSIGHTS is Jason Hatley’s free weekly training resource specifically designed to provide you as a worship leader with proven principles, tips and practices to help you lead a healthy and thriving Worship Arts Team.

About Jason Hatley and Worship Leader Insights
Jason HatleyIn 2002, Jason Hatley helped launch The Journey Church in New York City, directing the programming of their worship services. He serves as the Pastor of Worship Arts and built from scratch The Journey’s worship arts team, a group of over 200 artists and technicians who develop and implement the creative and technical elements at weekly Sunday services. The Journey has been recognized as one of Outreach Magazines fastest growing and most creative churches.

Jason has been a worship leader since 1996. He invests in Worship Pastors around the country through interactive coaching networks and worship planning resources. He has been a featured break-out speaker at the Willow Creek Arts Conference, The Purpose Drive Worship Conference, as well as seminars around the country. He has a B.M. in Sacred Music Performance from Appalachian State University.

Jason is the author of Engage: A Guide to Creating Life-Transforming Worship Services and Revolve: A New Way to See Worship as well as over a dozen worship leader personal and ministry growth resources.

Jason and his family currently live in Boca Raton, FL where he serves as the Pastor of Worship Arts at The Journey’s newest campus in South Florida.