Gil Burgos

20 hours ago

Check this video out — Hillsong -Have Your Way (HQ) http://youtu.be/HZiCf2-0xJ8

21 hours ago

“Praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals…..” Psalm 150:5

23 hours ago

Simply Cymbals – Using Cymbals in Church Worship

The cymbal. Something I never gave much thought till I had to decide on which one to buy! I suddenly realised that intricate complexities, the subtle nuances and incredible soundscapes that these bronzed alloy compositions held within themselves. This disc-like object shimmered to life at the hint of a touch to its brazen armour. And then, after producing millions of sound waves, it gently and softly continues to sing a song of endless tones in a distinct voice unique to its make-up. Wow! What an instrument!

You can hit it, crash it, smash it, ride it, slide it, ping it, ring it and bounce it…the possibilities seem endless to human comprehension. It all comes down to you, and it. This golden object responds to you whether you strike it with the stick, tap it with your fingers or just blow on it. Every touch produces vibration from the bell to the edge and back again, permeating the air with its unique and character. Wait until you cannot hear any more sound and then put your ear right next to it, it will still be singing! Resonating for as long as its physical properties will allow.

The modern, western, drummer – in my opinion – has underplayed the importance of the cymbal

The two things I love about cymbals are that they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and that they exhibit an incredible range of sounds and tones. From small finger cymbals to huge gongs that can be as large as 2 metres! There is a cymbal for every occassion. Gongs and cymbals are mentioned in the Bible on numerous occasions where the musicians are encouraged to strike the cymbals and gongs.

Cymbals in the Bible

2 Samuel 6:5
David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.

Do drums belong in the church?

The funny thing about Christians and the Church is that we’re supposed to back up what we believe and do from the Bible. Why is it funny? Well, you see, things creep into the church that often cannot be Biblically justified. Man brings things into the church under the pretext (or pretense) of holiness, but at the end of the day, it’s a man-made ritual, a human tradition that becomes as established and unquestionable as concrete! And concrete is difficult to break down once set!

My reason for writing this article is two-fold:

1. To look at Biblical justification for percussive instruments in the church as part of worship
2. To counter the negativity towards drums in church

Some churches take a very negative stance towards drums in church. They reference voodoo and trance drumming from Africa and come to the conclusion that all drumming is inherently evil. Wow! What a broad, blindly-definitive, ignorant assessment! They completely leave out the fact that God created all music. How man uses music is up to him. It is Satan that comes to pervert it and use it to destroy lives. Music can be used to glorify God or it can be used to deconsecrate. We, as Christians, use it to express ourselves to God and bring Him glory and honour. It’s not a question about instruments, it’s a question about the heart of worship (which I will address later in this article).

The Ultimate Drum Sticks

2 days ago

Pride and the Worship Drummer

Pride and the Worship Drummer - Drum Articles Add comments

The spotlight is on you and nobody else... If there is anything that can kill the anointing, that can grieve the Holy Spirit, it’s pride. Yep, it’s the one thing that takes God and puts Him in the back, and you in the front! It makes your head so big you gotta walk through doors sideways and you stay away from people with sharp nails in case they burst your bubble.

Here’s what the dictionary says about pride:

pride /praɪd/ noun

a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.
the state or feeling of being proud.
a becoming or dignified sense of what is due to oneself or one’s position or character; self-respect; self-esteem.
pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself

(Dictionary.com)

Here is what the Bible says about pride:

Drumming with Sensitivity

Drumming with Sensitivity - Drum Articles

Playing oh so lightly! Being in worship team is more than just keeping the beat. In fact, I started this web site because that was my conviction : there is more to being a drummer in a worship team than just keeping the beat! A proficient worship leader would expect those basic qualities in a drummer as a given. But I would think that the worship leader would expect more, and moreso in the area of sensitivity. Sensitivity in one’s playing and also spiritually. I believe they’re intricately related in the playing of a Christian drummer.

Let me explain what I mean in the two related areas of sensitivity:

I found it easier to focus on God when I was able to ‘let go’ of my hands and feet

Being sensitive in one’s drumming, physically

Knowing when to come in and to go out
Being aware of the dynamics of the song you’re playing
Being selective as to which instruments you’re playing
Being able to follow the worship leader so you can ‘read them like a book’

Being sensitive in one’s drumming, spiritually

Being aware of the Holy Spirit
Being able to follow the ‘flow’ of worship
Knowing when it’s time to build up a song dynamically for the purpose of encouragement, stirring up the congregation, warfare, worship and more
Being able to worship while maintaining the physical integrity of the beat.

In my experience, I found it easier to focus on God when I was able to ‘let go’ of my hands and feet and allow my spirit to be free and therefore, I could pray or sing and not get caught up in the technical execution of the rhythms because my body could play what it needed to! The reason my sensitivity was heightened to the Spirit was that my focus was no longer on the technical execution of my chops (although it’s always there in the back of your mind I suppose).

I wrote this article a long time ago, I could never quite finish it off properly. But I thought I’d share it anyway and welcome further comments…

Source: Christian Drummers

2 days ago

Capturing the Heartbeat and Rhythms of God

Christian Drummers in Japan; Capturing the Heartbeat and Rhythms of God;

Drum Articles Add comments

A few years ago I went through a challenging time spiritually. I heard people talking as if they knew God so well that they had Him all figured out. It was as if they could read his mind and know what He would say for any situation. They had, effectively and in my opinion, packaged God into a convenient travel-size package like a genie in a bottle – ready to do whatever they asked Him to. I was challenged by this approach because I did not agree with it. Had I missed something somehow? I thought, surely God’s thoughts are higher than mine, His ways are not ours…

[ “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:9 ]

The word ‘rhythm’ implies consistency, stability and motion. My personal life, my spiritual walk, has neither been consistent nor stable! But it has always been in motion. It has always been, for me, a rhythm of seeking God more, to know Him more, to hear Him more clearly. A certain car manufacturer used to have a slogan that said “Life’s a journey, enjoy the ride!” That has been my life’s subtle subtext. God’s word, who He is and what He is, is consistent and stable, the groove of His ways in our life. That is the journey, that is the ride, that is the rhythm of our God, His heartbeat.

my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts

My prayer for drummers that are still seeking their purpose in life, their reason for living, is that they would look around and see the rhythms of nature about them – a world created and designed by a creator, a master architect. My prayer is that they would be encouraged to seek out the rhythm, the heartbeat of God. I pray that they would encounter God in a way that they begin to match the beat of the kingdom of heaven and strike their drums for the glory of God.

Capturing the heartbeat and the rhythm

How do we learn a pattern or rhythm or song? By hearing it first, listening, then doing. Christianity is a lot like that: being sensitive to hear God speaking to you. From hearing the groove of the Gospel to then being able to play the groove. That’s how we learn!

Okay, enough drummer-speak! Plain English….

Read More from the Source: Christian Drummer

Simply Cymbals – Using Cymbals in Church Worship

Do drums belong in the church?

The Ultimate Drum Sticks

Pride and the Worship Drummer

Drumming with Sensitivity

Capturing the Heartbeat and Rhythms of God

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