Guitar Solos

I don't know how you feel about guitar solos, but having grown up in the 90's with perfect-hair rock, I love them. The electric guitar has been a major part of music now for a very long time and in recent years it finally seems to have made it's way into the church.

Thank you Lord!

I don't know what most worshipers think about guitar solos in church but I'm going to try to explain what I think about them.

King David, before he was king and was just a little guy in the court of King Saul, was known for his skill with the harp.

The Bible says that Saul had problems with "a spirit from God." I will not even touch what that could mean, but I would like to touch on what happened when he had these encounters. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16 that David would play his harp for Saul and that the music relieved him.

The Psalter is filled with examples of God's people celebrating God with not just song lyrics, but with the skillful playing of musical instruments.

So you have this two way street. The music serves as a conduit, and perhaps in some way as the yellow lines in the middle of the road. On one side runs traffic of worship and adoration toward the Father in the opposite direction as the relief, comfort, and joy that comes to His people. The worshipers lift up songs of thanksgiving and joy and praise on the very same medium that the Father sends down peace and comfort and hope.

Maybe the guitar isn't that conduit for you; maybe it doesn't serve as a path or line between you and the Father, but for me, listening to Dave play his guitar, listening to Sam on the keyboard, Kevin on the bass, Jason on the drums, and hearing Lisa's voice beautifully convey the message of the songs, I sense that something opens up, and we are in a place unlike many others, a place we don't get to come to just any moment of any day.

So if you're finding yourself sitting through a 20-second instrumental part of a song at KP (or wherever you worship), and you're not sure what that's got to do with the message, try to take a step onto that road, venture out into the path where these spiritual things can happen. Let yourself go.

If you don't want to do that, or can't, that's okay, just clap along and enjoy good music. The music is being made to honor the Lord and for that it is precious.

Sunday August 13

This photo was taken to serve as a template for the teams that set up the chair columns every week.
As I look at it I'm reminded of the work that goes into preparing for a Sunday worship gathering. There are folks who show up to put chairs, tables, and all kinds of things in the room, and there's the people that put that stuff away; there are folks who set out the elements of Communion; there are folks who brew coffee and cut donuts; there are people who prepare lessons for kids.

I could go on for a long time talking about the gazillion people that seem to be buzzing about like bees every Sunday morning. It's all kind of a blur. In the picture it looks pretty relaxed, but it is in fact a bit of a whirlwind.

And yet, after the dust settles, we find ourselves offering anything we possibly can in worship to God. When we're done all the rehearsing and preparing, brewing and setting up, greeting and welcoming, we sit down at the Lord's Table together and we bow before the One who alone is worthy.

Worship at Kaw Prairie has slowly been moving toward a place of intimacy and comfort. I don't mean that folks are comfortable like I might be watching football on TV. I mean the kind of comfortable that is safe, that is inviting, that connects lots of different dots in our lives and creates a picture of something glorious.

Worship at KP has been drifting new waters, exciting places that we've not been before and I can't think of any way of describing it to you other than to encourage you to come in and just allow yourself to be part of the family and a part of our effort to be in the presence of the Most High.

May His presence be evident to you this week.