Starting over . . .

So I did something really stupid the other day . . .

I was going through all of our domain accounts that we own as a church and began consolidating them to save money and make my life easier . . . Well, I used to own csfband.com which was he site to our old blog and resource center for the band. That is no longer and we began using teamchurchworship.com. ell apparently I was piggy-backing off the space used for csfband.com. It was one of the accounts I deleted (along with all of the past 6 months of posts and resources). So here is the BRAND NEW . . . teamchurchworship.com. It is not finished (or begun) . . . just this post to tide you over until it’s complete.

This weekend, Julie and I are in Nashville, TN recording with Chris Tomlin and about 75-100 other worship leaders. We are recording his Christmas Album at Oceanway Studios, home to some incredible musical experiences and greats in the industry.
Last night we recorded the first pass o the songs on the record, a great mix of traditional and originals songs with arrangements ranging from soft, smooth and tender to energetic and celebratory.

The night kicked off with Chris leading us in a medley of worship to re-focus our hearts and attentions on Christ. Then Louie Giglio (Passion Conferences and Six Step Records) came out to share a few words. It was incredible how he used words to send us into a place of worship of our creator. He repeated the phrase Emmanuel, God With Us . . . over and over . . . he shared how even though we are here recording songs that proclaim the arrival of the Son of God on Christmas Day, that the phrase and hope that is in the saying Emmanuel, God with Us, is not limited by time, space or season. But that He is the Emmanuel, God with us now, today (tonight, in the case of last night). He is ever present and with us always. So because of that we were really able to settle our hearts into a place of singing these songs despite 90 degree weather and the typical Christmas time fare. Because our hope was set on the child who was born in a manger and was sent to set us free . . . because the Emmanuel was present with us . . .

Louie’s opening remarks was one of the most impactful verbal expressions of worship I’ve experienced in a long while. It drew me into a place of deep reverence and awe . . . Singing those songs was just a deeper expression at that point.

Julie and I are thankful to be here, to reconnect with some great friends from Nashville and to share the room with some great friends and worship leaders from around the country, some of which have written most of the songs we sing regularly at Team Church.

Let me close by encouraging you to see God as your Emmanuel right now. Whisper a short prayer and ask Him to be present wherever you are right now, and despite the season of summer heat, and playtime on vacation or whatever you will experience this summer . . . that the fresh perspective of hope and the reverence and awe of the Christ child sent to save us would impact you in a meaningful way today . . .

Pray for us all as we do it again tonight, that this will be a record that goes beyond a way to fill the christmas set lists across the country this holiday season. BUt a truly worshipful expression to our creator and Savior Jesus Christ.

Emmanuel, God With Us (you) . . .

KC

BTW: One sneak peak into the record. Audrey Assadd (newcomer, or at least I predict she will be). She played a song she wrote called Winter Song. I honestly was floored, literally . . . I am so pumped for you to hear it when it comes out . . . It will change our entire perspective on the entry of Christ into our world . . . if you could see me now, I’m crying thinking about it . .

***thanks to everyone who made this trip possible, words cannot express the gratitude in mine and Julie’s hearts. “Joy, unspeakable joy. Rises in my soul, never let’s me go.”***