70x7 Captain's Log

What The Ministry Of Music Can Do…

70x7 — Wed, 25 May 2011 16:52:38 +0000

According to Psalm 22, God inhabits the praises of His people. He dwells in an atmosphere of His praise, and that means that PRAISE is a vehicle of faith that can elevate each of us into God’s presence and power.

Indeed, praise and worship are the KEY to entering into the presence of His glory, and when God is praised, His Holy Spirit responds by bringing the Lord’s presence and power into our midst.

God delights in the praises of His children, and when we worship Him in Spirit and in truth, we are doing exactly what He wants of us. The book of John 4:23-24 says, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

We can send the enemy running with our praises, when we sing songs of praise, clap our hands and shout, and make a joyful noise unto the Lord. The ministry of music can be a catalyst in drawing God’s people into the presence of God, and that’s when the power of the Holy Spirit is manifested in God’s people.

In this atmosphere of praise, here are some things that the ministry of music can do:

THE MINISTRY OF MUSIC CAN…

…bring songs of praise to the lips of Christ’s disciples, and be a sweet sound to His ears.

…draw the Lord’s children into a deeper, more personal relationship with Him.

…set hearts ablaze with the power of the Holy Spirit in a symphony of praise.

…lift up hearts and minds towards heaven, and bring the presence of God into focus.

…enrich the worship life of a body of Christ, and give each member a taste of the joyful praise that awaits them in eternity.

…open up doors, break down walls, and soften the hearts of God’s people.

…plough the ground and prepare good soil for the seeds of God’s Word to take root.

…lay the foundational bricks in building a truly meaningful worship experience.

…rekindle the flames of adoration for the Savior that once burned bright and clear.

…bring God’s children to their feet and help them feel the joy of their salvation.

…bring the faithful to their knees in prayer and supplication.

…bring tears to the eyes of all who feel the presence of He who inhabits their worship.

…bring the light of the Lord to a world of darkness that desperately needs His love.

And most importantly, the ministry of music can be a vehicle to lead individuals to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

Call To Worship: PRAYER

70x7 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 06:37:28 +0000

The “Call To Worship” is a traditional liturgical element containing spoken words of invitation with which a worship celebration begins. The words are usually spoken by the worship leader followed by responses by the congregation. Every time I write a new “Call To Worship,” I focus on the content of the preacher’s message for that day, while exhorting the people to enthusiastically enter into the time of worship. - B.J. Collins

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PRAYER

Leader: Let us approach the throne of God, and lift up prayers to Him.
People: HEAR OUR PRAYERS AND LISTEN TO OUR CRIES, OH LORD.
Leader: Let us call upon the name of God, who is always there for us.
People: ANSWER WHEN WE CALL IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE, OH LORD.
Leader: Let us devote ourselves to the work of God, who saves His trusting servants.
People: GUARD OUR LIVES, FOR WE ARE DEVOTED TO YOU, OH LORD.
Leader: Let us turn to God, who is compassionate, merciful, and gracious.
People: GRANT US YOUR STRENGTH AND HAVE MERCY ON US, OH LORD.
Leader: Let us walk in the truth of God, who shows us the path of righteousness.
People: UNITE US WITH UNDIVIDED HEARTS FOR YOU, OH LORD.
Leader: Let us praise the Lord, our God, with all of our hearts.
People: WE WILL GLORIFY YOUR NAME FOREVER, OH LORD!

Call To Worship: FAITHFUL

70x7 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 06:31:15 +0000

The “Call To Worship” is a traditional liturgical element containing
spoken words of invitation with which a worship celebration begins.
The words are usually spoken by the worship leader followed by
responses by the congregation. Every time I write a new “Call To
Worship,” I focus on the content of the preacher’s message for that
day, while exhorting the people to enthusiastically enter into the time
of worship. - B.J. Collins

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FAITHFUL

Leader: The Lord has spoken, “You shall have no other gods before me.”
People: LORD, YOU ARE THE TRUE GOD. YOU ARE MY ONLY GOD.
Leader: The Lord has been faithful, and He has delivered us from sin and death.
People: LORD, EVERY WORD YOU HAVE PROMISED ME IS TRUE.
Leader: The Lord has provided, and we live in a land of milk and honey.
People: LORD, EVERYTHING THAT YOU GIVE IS GOOD.
Leader: The Lord has been faithful, and He wants to bless His children.
People: LORD, YOU ARE FAITHFUL AND TRUE TO YOUR PEOPLE.
Leader: The Lord has spoken, and He wants us to obey His commands.
People: LORD, YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS, AND I WILL FOLLOW YOUR WAYS.
Leader: The Lord is present with us. Let us give Him our thanks and praise!
People: LORD, HEAR THE THANKFUL PRAISES OF YOUR PEOPLE!

Call To Worship: THE JOURNEY

70x7 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 06:20:30 +0000

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THE JOURNEY

Leader:    We gather together to worship God in spirit and truth.
People:    GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR GIVING US WISDOM FOR THE JOURNEY OF LIFE.
Leader:    Wisdom from God is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
People:    GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR GIVING US COURAGE FOR THE JOURNEY OF LIFE.
Leader:    Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
People:    GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR GIVING US HOPE FOR THE JOURNEY OF LIFE.
Leader:    The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercy never comes to an end. Let us put our hope in God.
People:    GOD, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE WISDOM, COURAGE AND HOPE YOU PROVIDE.
Leader:    The Lord is our strength for the journey. Let us boldly proclaim the name of God to the world as we travel in this life.
People:    GLORY! HALLELUJAH! GOD’S TRUTH IS MARCHING ON!

A New Christmas Song for 2010

70x7 — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:43:01 +0000

Last year, I wrote both an advent song and a Christmas song, and really enjoyed performing them at several venues. People really seemed to enjoy hearing new Christmas music, so when inspiration hit this year (December 29 - my dad’s birthday and at the tail end of the season) I wasted no time getting my idea on paper, despite the fact that I didn’t have access to any musical instruments at the time! Sometimes the best songs seem to go directly from your head onto the page. This one goes out to the congregation at Central Highlands Church, and to the inspiration for the song, my dad. Also, thanks to the lady across the street who kept her Christmas lights on all night long as I wrote the song in front of the window. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS BY B.J. COLLINS (2010)

I wanted to get you a present for Christmas, a present to show you how grateful I feel.

I wanted to thank you for sharing your blessings, by giving you something that’s special and real.

But I knew the stores didn’t have what you needed , and I knew it right from the start,

‘cause the very best gift I could think of to give you, is a prayer that comes from my heart:

I pray that you’ll share in the song of the angels.

I pray that you’ll feel all the joy of the shepherds.

I pray that you’ll join in the worship of wise men.

But these things I pray most of all:

May the Spirit of Christmas bring you great peace, and the promise of a Savior bring hope.

May the Spirit of Christmas bring you great joy, and the presence of Jesus bring love.

May the Spirit of Christmas dwell in your heart, every day of the year… …

Cause every day can be Christmas, when the promise of Christ you hold dear.

I wanted to tell you the meaning of Christmas, was meaning to tell you so you’d understand.

I wanted to help you to really love Christmas, by singing a song of the great Son of Man.

And I know you’ve already heard the old story, but that doesn’t mean I won’t start,

‘cause the very best song I could think of to sing you, is a song that comes from my heart:

I pray that you’ll share in the song of the angels.

I pray that you’ll feel all the joy of the shepherds.

I pray that you’ll join in the worship of wise men.

But these things I pray most of all:

May the Spirit of Christmas bring you great peace, and the promise of a Savior bring hope.

May the Spirit of Christmas bring you great joy, and the presence of Jesus bring love.

May the Spirit of Christmas dwell in your heart, every day of the year… …

Cause every day can be Christmas, when the promise of Christ you hold dear.

Call To Worship - HOLY SPIRIT

70x7 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:10:37 +0000

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HOLY SPIRIT

Leader:   The Spirit of God is here among His people.
People:   HOLY SPIRIT, DWELL IN OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS.
Leader:   The Spirit of God is here to strengthen His people.
People:   HOLY SPIRIT, GIVE US COURAGE AND STRENGTH.
Leader:   The Spirit of God is here to move us in worship.
People:   HOLY SPIRIT, FILL OUR MOUTHS WITH SONGS OF PRAISE.
Leader:   The Spirit of God is here to fill us with Holy fire.
People:   HOLY SPIRIT, CONVICT US AND SET OUR HEARTS ABLAZE.
Leader:   In the presence of God’s Holy Spirit, may we feel the touch of His power in our lives this Pentecost day.
People:   LORD, FILL US WITH PASSION AS WE WORSHIP YOU IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.

Call To Worship - GODLY LIVES

70x7 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:02:00 +0000

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GODLY LIVES

Leader:   By the power of God in our lives, we are set apart to be bold apostles in every place.
People:   LORD, GIVE US A FRESH ANOINTING OF YOUR GRACE.
Leader:   God’s power in our lives is shown through our words, our deeds, and our prayers.
People:   LORD, GRANT US THE COURAGE TO LIVE GODLY LIVES.
Leader:   We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to grow in the likeness of Christ.
People:   HOLY SPIRIT, CONVICT US SO WE WILL DESIRE MORE OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.
Leader:   God sends us into the world to be the messengers of His glory.
People:   LORD, MAY OUR LIVES GIVE GLORY TO YOUR NAME.
Leader:   As we praise His name, we give witness to the power of God in our lives.
People:   LORD, FILL OUR HEARTS WITH JOY AS WE SING PRAISES TO YOUR HOLY NAME!

70×7 SONGS: A New Communion Song

70x7 — Sat, 29 May 2010 06:30:32 +0000

It seems that over the past couple of years, a lot of our songwriting has been motivated by “holes” in our overall song repertoire. Sometimes I have a difficult time finding just the right song to fit the situation. Since the majority of our recent performances have taken place in the worship setting, its only natural that we are constantly seeking songs that serve “liturgical purposes.” One area of the worship for which I have always had some difficulty in finding good material is the Lord’s Supper. There just aren’t enough good communion songs around, and most of the time, I end up choosing material for the Lord’s supper that is more related to the sermon topic than to the subject of the bread and the wine, even though it is my personal belief that the communion is the most powerful moment in worship. Indeed, I have sung “This Is His Body,” a song written by former 70×7 guitarist Ron Baling, at least a couple hundred times. It’s a communion song that “has it all.” The only other song that even compares on the quality of the lyrical content is “One Bread, One Body,” which I have sung nearly as many times. Finally, I decided to write a communion song of my own, and I got a little help from my son in the process.

Somewhere along the line, the word that struck me as being the most important during the celebration of the Eucharist is “remembrance.” Jesus said, “do this in remembrance of me.” So when I set out to write a new communion song, the word “remember” was foremost in my thinking. That’s how “We’ll Always Remember” came to be written. It’s up to us, Christ’s faithful followers, to remember what Jesus did for us, and the Lord’s Supper should be a weekly reminder to us just how far He was willing to go to save us from sin. I don’t think I shall ever be content to sing a song during the communion that doesn’t speak to the great sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf. So here is the first of what I hope shall be several songs written by B.J. and Bo Collins with the expressed purpose of helping communicants to remember what was done, and why we do this in remembrance of Jesus.

WE’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER - by B.J. Collins and Bo Collins (2010)

When we gather here in memory of You, breaking the bread as You asked us to.
When we gather here, called by Your name, knowing we’ll never be the same.
And we will remember You this way, whenever we gather in Your name.
We’ll always remember You this way, remembering why You came.

When we gather here in memory of You, sharing the cup as You asked us to,
When we gather here, called by Your name, knowing that we’re forever changed.
And we will remember You this way, whenever we gather in Your name.
We’ll always remember You this way, remembering why You came.

To save the world from sin so we may enter in
To heaven’s open door. Who could give us more than life itself?

And we will remember You this way, whenever we gather in Your name.
We’ll always remember You this way, remembering why You came.

No, we will not forget anything You said.
How could we forget, You gave Your very life for us and yet…

Your body and blood were given for us, so we could share eternal life.
Your own precious blood was poured out for us, sealing a covenant of life.
And we will remember You this way, whenever we gather in Your name.
We’ll always remember You this way, remembering why You came.

Call To Worship - PRAY

70x7 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:26:43 +0000

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PRAY

Leader: People of God, look to the Lord and His strength, and always seek His face.
People: LORD, WE DRAW OUR STRENGTH FROM YOU.
Leader: People of God, humble yourselves and pray for courage, and He will hear from heaven.
People: LORD, WE HUMBLY PRAY FOR COURAGE.
Leader: People of God, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
People: LORD, WE WAIT ON YOU.
Leader: People of God, pray in the morning, in the evening, and at noon, and He will hear your voice.
People: LORD, WE SHALL PRAY UNCEASINGLY.
Leader: People of God, ask and it will be given unto you, for everyone who asks shall receive.
People: LORD, WE RECEIVE THE GOODNESS THAT YOU GIVE.
Leader: As God’s faithful people, let us pray and sing together with our spirit and our minds.
People: LORD, HEAR THE SONGS AND PRAYERS OF YOUR PEOPLE THIS DAY!

Call To Worship - GRATEFUL

70x7 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:23:30 +0000

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GRATEFUL

Leader: Jesus is the master of the universe, who humbled himself and came to the earth.
People: LORD JESUS, THE EARTH REJOICES IN YOUR HOLY NAME.
Leader: Jesus is the creator of all things, who took on flesh to walk among his children.
People: LORD JESUS, WE CELEBRATE YOUR PRESENCE AMONG US.
Leader: Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who was born in a lowly manger.
People: LORD JESUS, WE EXALT YOU AMONG ALL THE NATIONS.
Leader: Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life, who suffered death so that we may live.
People: LORD JESUS, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE.
Leader: It is to Jesus that we owe our life, and our salvation.
People: LORD JESUS, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE LIFE YOU HAVE GIVEN US.
Leader: It is to Jesus that we should lift our songs of highest praise.
People: LORD JESUS, GOD OF ALL, WE LIFT YOUR NAME ON HIGH!