Category: General

16
Apr

From Shepherd to King

Posted by / General, Scripture, Worship Music

Have you ever felt unsatisfied or unfulfilled in your work?

I work part time at an amazing church and love every minute of it! The rest of the time I work as a roofer. I don’t hate roofing but it does feel like “just a job” most of the time (if you know what I mean).

One day while I was out working on a roof, I found myself feeling unsatisfied with my current job as a roofer. I began to convey my frustrations to God and started asking him questions like,

“How long do I have to keep working somewhere that leaves me feeling unfulfilled?”

“If you have great things planned for me, why does my life feel so mundane and tedious?”

Moments later, I felt His presence invaded the rooftop so tangibly and thick that it literally caused me to worship and praise… until I realized I probably looked pretty ridiculous!

I asked God, “Why would you show up like that?”

“Don’t hate your time in the shepherd’s field,” He said.

Instantly I got a picture in my head of a young David worshiping in the shepherd’s field. He chose to make something that should have been mundane and average, into something marvellous and beautiful.

It was right then that I realized that my job really isn’t what matters. It helps pays the bills and helps contribute to society in a practical way, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s nothing. Nothing in comparison to what I have with the God of the universe! What is more fulfilling than interacting with the God of the universe? Amazing!

I also realized that these moments are what God uses to change us and shape us. As small and innocent as these moments start, they mold us into the people He calls us to be. David was only a simple shepherd but God shaped Him into a champion, a king, and a man after God’s own heart. I am a roofer, but like David, I know I’m so much more than that.

Let’s be like David, let’s be the type of people who would still be out in the shepherd’s field even if no one came and told us we were meant to become king.

-Thomas Bodenchuk

13
Apr

I Your Maker

Posted by / General, Music, Scripture, Worship Music

Blaise Pascal, the 17th century philosopher and math whiz, famously wrote: “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” To Pascal’s statement, I’d add that many of my heart’s problems stem from my inability to sit quietly before my Creator.

So, as an experiment, at the end of my day, I tried it. On the back deck, below a dark sky flecked with stars, I stood in the silence and waited. From somewhere down the road, a dog’s bark echoed. A motorbike revved by. The moon, a gold whole note, hung its mute music.

And in the midst of the cold night’s soundscape, a small but steady voice hummed through to me:

I made all this.

And I’m your Maker.

That voice—quiet, sure, unmistakably His—came like a spark to light the wick of my worship. What surged in me was an urgent need to say, “Lord, thank you”—to tip my face to the sky, that thin veil between here and eternity, and lift an overflowing heart to Him, a heart suddenly aware again of His sovereignty, His power, and His supreme love.

Let our worship be a response to God’s voice, to His love. Before the clamour of our words, His word. Before our shouts, His still, small voice. Before our litany of prayers, pleas and petitions, His generous grace that gives us room to rest. Before the song, His presence, and because of His presence, the song.

-Carla Funk

16
May

Unity Creates Community

Posted by / General, Scripture, Worship Music

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1 ASV

Unity is something we all strive for in the body of Christ.

Often we allow hurt, disagreements or even a difference in denomination stand in the way of this powerful act. Worship Victoria exists because we believe it’s time to look past the things that could easily separate us, and instead choose to lift up the name of Jesus with one heart.

I believe in our region we are stepping into an unprecedented season, one where many Pastors and leaders have laid down their agendas and have gathered together faithfully to seek God’s heart and will for our region.  We are also stepping into a place of unity where the true heart of worship can, and is, being released.

Worship at its very core is for God, about God and to God.

I believe we are seeing one of the dreams of the Father’s heart being manifested here on earth as we join together in one voice and one heart.

Sound is a powerful thing.

Researchers of the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden studied the heart rates of high school choir members as they joined their voices.  What became very clear was that it took almost no time at all for the singers’ heart rates to become synchronized. The readout from the pulse monitors starts as a jumble of jagged lines, but quickly becomes a series of uniform peaks.  Perhaps this is what Jesus meant in John 17:21, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”

Something happens in the natural realm as we come together in unity, lifting our praises to God.

Something definitely happens in the spirit realm also. In Deuteronomy 32:30, it says that one of us can put a thousand to flight, two can put ten thousand to flight.

How many of us will gather together at the upcoming Spring Worship Event?

Together we are strong, and together we fulfill the heart of unity.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” – Matthew 18:20

Come Lord Jesus, Come!

– Sandy Lockhart (Worship Leader at Lion of Judah)

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11
May

People Make The Ministries

Posted by / Church Ministry, General, Scripture

I’ve always liked proverbs.

You know, the concise sayings like, “Two wrongs don’t make a right,” or “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

I love it when truth can be stated simply.

So, here’s my attempt at a proverb:

Ministries don’t make the people. People make the ministries.  

One thing I’ve learned from eight years as a worship leader is that people are the most precious resource.

Investing in people and including them in the process is one of the greatest things you can do to strengthen your ministry.

The truth is, those who are working and volunteering with us want to be a part of the process. It creates a sense of ownership and investment.

It’s like the way my 5-year-old son doesn’t want to just eat the cookies; he wants to pour in the ingredients, mix them together, put them in the oven, and finally, enjoy the fruits (or the cookies) of our labour, together. Yes, the kitchen gets messy, but the cookies taste all the more sweet.

Ministries don’t make the people. People make the ministries.

– Simon Prittie (Worship Leader at Lambrick Park Church)

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02
May

Humility Is Everything

Posted by / Church Ministry, General, Worship Music

God is so good.

I look at the ways He’s blessed me and I’m overwhelmed.

I can reflect on the beautiful gifts he’s given me as a husband,

father,

worship leader

and

musician…

and I see His love.

I can also reflect on the amazing journey of Worship Victoria, and feel awe for the gifts we’ve been given as a team. Who would have thought that something that started so humbly would morph into a movement that continues to grow and impact this region?

PRAISE THE GIVER, NOT THE GIFT

When people are given gifts or talent, often pride will creep in, and the credit God would have gotten for those gifts is stolen. Thoughts like, “Look at what we’ve done,” or “We’ve earned this.”  Oh how those thoughts of pride must scrape at the heart of God…for He is the rightful owner of all praise. One of the unique aspects of Worship Victoria (#WoVic) is how it’s made up of people that all have the ability to be prideful, but have done all they can to beat that pride down.

It’s remarkable and encouraging to see people let go of pride because they love God, love unity and love each other. To be children that refuse to be prideful over gifts and successes, and instead seek to be thankful for all we receive from our generous Father.

As the Worship Victoria Weekend approaches and we begin to anticipate all that God might do and our challenge remains the same.

– Fraser Campbell (Worship Leader at New Life Community Fellowship)

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14
Apr

Welcome to the NEW Worship Victoria

Posted by / General

We’re excited to launch our new website AND offer a new weekend of worship-focused activities for you. We’ve got the Citywide Worship Night, Saturday, May 24th at 7pm at Gateway Baptist (formerly Royal Oak Baptist for you lifer Victorians) and during the day on May 24th we’ll have a ton of workshops in the AM at Saanich Baptist.

Check back here for more info on that a lot more things we’ve got in store for the future.

-WV team

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