Setlist 5-31-2015

This week, Josh preached from Luke 12:13-21.  It was also Trinity Sunday, which is the day on the Church calendar that we make a point to acknowledge, contemplate, and appreciate the fact that God has been revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--Three, yet One.  Our songs were gathered with the Trinity in mind.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Holy, Holy, Holy

Just a Closer Walk With Thee

House of God Forever by Jon Foreman

Wild One by Jameson McGregor

Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Holy, Holy, Holy: This song presents the tension between God being glorious, such that there is no one else that stands on equal footing with God, and the fact that God is both One and Three.  This is most apparent at the end of the third stanza when "there is none beside Thee" and "God in Three persons, blessed Trinity" are placed side by side.  There are various ways to think about the word "holy," but perhaps one of the most straight forward, when speaking of God, is the idea that God is Wholly Other.  This means that what we can know about God is fundamentally limited--even though God created us in way that we can be in relationship with God.  The mystery of the Trinity is incoherent in terms of human reason, but it would be presumptuous to assume that we have the capacity to map out and comprehend One who is Wholly Other.

Just A Closer Walk With Thee:  We sang this song to focus on God the Son.  In Jesus, God crossed the boundary between being Wholly Other and experiencing existence as a human.  Though humans cannot hope to ascend to the heights of God and understand everything there is to know about God, God came to us and showed us who God is in a "language" that we can understand.  Aside from showing us what God is like, Jesus called us to be a particular kind of people--people of love.  With this in mind, we sang this not only to acknowledge Jesus as God, but to ask for help in being people who are more formed into His likeness.

House of God Forever: We sang this song to focus on God the Father.  Though God is Wholly Other, God cares for us.  Though there is much about God that we cannot understand, God fully understands us, and knows how to meet our needs.

Wild One: I shared a reading from N.T. Wright's For All God's Worth before we played this song, and I think his words sum up the place of this song better than I can articulate. You can read the selection here.

Fall Afresh: We sang this song to focus on God the Holy Spirit.  Though God is Wholly Other, God has come to dwell among us in the Holy Spirit, transforming us into something new, and connecting us to one another and to Godself.  We also sang this song to look over our shoulder at last weeks' songs.  This is what we said:  When we come to Pentecost each year, we are celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts, thanking God for blessing the Church with the Gift of God's continual presence.  We are also reminding ourselves that this Gift has been given to us as well.  In reminding ourselves of this, we are hoping for a renewed awareness of the Spirit's presence.  We shouldn't reduce Pentecost to a yearly refilling station for caring about the Spirit, but we also should not pretend that we live lives that are fully aware of the Spirit at all times.  Pentecost is a time to remember that we are a people who have been given a Gift, and to live into that reality.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 5-24-2015

This week, we were fortunate to have our friend Liz Andrasi preach to us from Acts 2:1-13.  Our songs were gathered around the theme of Pentecost.  Pentecost is when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Church in Acts 2.  Josh wrote about Pentecost in the newsletter this week, so be sure to check that out if you haven't yet.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle

All Creatures of Our God and King by David Crowder* Band

Holy Spirit by Jesus Culture

Oceans by Hillsong United

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Fall Afresh: When we come to Pentecost each year, we are celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts, thanking God for blessing the Church with the Gift of God's continual presence.  We are also reminding ourselves that this Gift has been given to us as well.  In reminding ourselves of this, we are hoping for a renewed awareness of the Spirit's presence.  We shouldn't reduce Pentecost to a yearly refilling station for caring about the Spirit, but we also should not pretend that we live lives that are fully aware of the Spirit at all times.  Pentecost is a time to remember that we are a people who have been given a Gift, and to live into that reality.

All Creatures of Our God and King: Pentecost is significant for the Church, yes, but it is also significant for the whole of the cosmos.  When we think about the Holy Spirit, we should think of the Spirit of Life who mediates God's love to the things that God has made--people, plants, animals, subatomic particles, etc.  God is active and present in the farthest reaches of space, and is weaving a multitude of smaller stories into one great story.  

Holy Spirit: This song focuses more on the personal encounter of the Spirit.  I'd like to note a few unrelated things about this song.  First, it is not an accident that we gather together to sing this song.  The Spirit is certainly able to influence us when we are alone, but it seems like the Spirit is much more active among a community.  As Liz pointed out in her sermon, the focus of the Acts 2 narrative is what the Spirit does through people.  Second, I want to clarify that, while this song centers around expressing an openness to the Spirit, we should not fool ourselves into thinking that the Spirit needs our permission or invitation to move among us--as if we could conjure the Spirit.  Third,  I've had a few people tell me that they didn't like a few lines of this song, specifically "come flood this place and fill the atmosphere."  Let me confess: I don't like that line either.  It feels like a forced rhyme with "welcome here." I find it within myself to sing this song because I ultimately do want to express an openness to the Spirit, and to petition for a greater awareness of the Spirit's presence and power.

Oceans: We sang this song to look over our shoulder at the songs we sang last week.  Here's what we said then: Before Jesus' ascension, He promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would come empower them to continue His work.  In His leaving, Jesus called His followers to stay the course.  We too are called to continue His work--and seeking to do this can be equal parts confusing and overwhelming.  Oceans uses the image of walking on water to illustrate at least two things: doing things that we are literally incapable of doing without God's aid, and entering into chaotic and unknown territory.  As we contemplate what it means for us to be Jesus in the world, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are neither able nor expected to do it alone.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 5-17-2015

This week, Josh preached from Acts 1: 15-26.  Our songs were gathered around the theme of the Ascension.  The Ascension is the moment when Jesus "was taken up" and "hidden by the clouds" in Acts 1.  Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Come Thou Fount

All the Poor and Powerless by All Sons and Daughters

Oceans by Hillsong United

Up On A Mountain by The Welcome Wagon

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Come Thou Fount: We sang this song to think again about the work of Jesus in light of the Ascension and to begin anticipating the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost (next week). This song can be understood to be firmly planted between the Ascension and Pentecost--especially when we look at the stanzas out of order.  The second stanza talks about raising an "Eben-Ezer"--a throw-back to the time Samuel made a monument to signify God being with Israel in a battle against the Philistines (1 Sam 7:12)--to remember what God has done for us in Jesus.  The third stanza looks back on the work of Jesus as well in acknowledging the fact that we stand as debtors in light of what Jesus did for us [Note: We are not debtors in the sense that God has a cosmic ledger that shows us in the red--Jesus wiped that ledger clean.  We are debtors in that we know that Jesus did something for us that we can in no way repay, and our gratitude drives us to respond in love.] Ok. So. We look back before the Ascension in the second two stanzas.  In the first stanza, we look forward to the coming of a "Fount of Every Blessing" that can "tune our hearts" and teach us a song sung by "flaming tongues above." This fount that we call for is the Holy Spirit.  

All The Poor and Powerless: In the Ascension, we see that Jesus did not simply rise from the dead for a time, only to die again.  Instead, He stepped beyond the realm that we might call physical to be with the Father.  He didn't die--he left.  The power of the resurrection held true.  This means that the hope of the resurrection and the hope of the Kingdom movement that entered the world through the ministry of Jesus live on, even in the absence of Jesus walking among us.  This is means that the poor, the powerless, the lost, the lonely, thieves, cowards, and all those who society would quickly rid itself of if given the option, can find their Hope.

Oceans: Before Jesus' ascension, He promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would come empower them to continue His work.  In His leaving, Jesus called His followers to stay the course.   We too are called to continue His work--and seeking to do this can be equal parts confusing and overwhelming.  Oceans uses the image of walking on water to illustrate at least two things: doing things that we are literally incapable of doing without God's aid, and entering into chaotic and unknown territory.  As we contemplate what it means for us to be Jesus in the world, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are neither able nor expected to do it alone.

Up On A Mountain: This song reminds us of the dread that Jesus had before the crucifixion (like any of us, he did not want to die), and that He was aware of what would ultimately become of the human race if he did not die.  Despite all of this, the third verse points out that the work of Jesus for us did not cease after the cross.  Though Jesus is no longer among us in flesh and blood, Jesus is still intimately concerned for the human race--He is praying on our behalf and is with us through the Spirit. Though Jesus ascended, He is not wholly gone--we are not alone.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 5-10-2015

This week, Josh preached from Acts 10:44-48.  Our songs were gathered around the theme of the love of God. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Your Love is Strong by Jon Foreman

Wandering by Jameson McGregor

How He Loves by John Mark McMillan

The Sun Will Warm Your Heart by Sarah Dossey Keilers

Holy Spirit by Jesus Culture

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Your Love Is Strong: This song uses the Lord's Prayer to explore the ways that God provides for us out of God's abundant love.  This is a love we can count on to carry us when everything else seems to fall away.

Wandering: This song explores the fact that God continues to want to be God for us even when we misunderstand our role in this relationship: we try to do things our own way--to manipulate God into giving us what we want--yet God remains faithful to us.  This is a love that we can count on to carry us even when we fall away.

How He Loves: I would encourage you to go watch this video to hear John Mark McMillan talk about this song. This is a love that we can count on to be our light when everything else seems like utter darkness.

The Sun Will Warm Your Heart: I've long known Sarah to be a great songwriter, so I asked her if she would be interested in sharing one of her songs with us during the Offering.  She agreed! I asked her if she would write a few sentences about what this song means to her. This is what she said: 

I adapted the words for this song from a William Cowper poem that I first read just a few months ago in the book Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. 

In darkness, sometimes the only light that can truly break through for me are those little spiritual nuggets of truth about God's character -- His omnipotence trumps my fear and lack of trust every time. So, during this time of some serious struggle and heartache in my life, I've found Cowper's simple and solid words to be encouraging and empowering - both upon first read, and now each time I get to sing them. 

Holy Spirit: We sang this song to take a look over our shoulder at last week's songs. I would encourage you go back and read what we said about it in that post, but it has a different significance in light of Josh's sermon this week (the podcast will be up on Thursday, so be sure to listen).  Because the Spirit dwells within us, we are given the chance to extend the love of God to those around us in creative and imaginative ways.  When we ask that God would make us more aware of the Spirit's presence, we are asking that God would help us express the love of the living God.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 5-3-2015

This week was our Commissioning Service for all of our graduating students. Our songs were gathered with this in mind, but also in light of the Resurrection (this was the fifth Sunday of Easter). Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Amazing Grace by Citizens & Saints

All Creatures of Our God and King by David Crowder* Band

Holy Spirit by Jesus Culture

Future/Past by John-Mark McMillan

Wayward Ones by The Gladsome Light

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Amazing Grace: As we part ways with a number of our community who are moving on to another a phase of life, we sang this song to rejoice in the grace that we share. Remember also that we sang this on Easter to proclaim that, because of the Resurrection, we are no longer trapped in our brokenness. 

All Creatures of Our God and King:  We sang this song to look over our shoulder at last week's songs.  Last week we said: God does not plan on abandoning the world. God is making all things new. The Resurrection means that the created world--plants, dirt, animals, people--have the hope of being made new.  This song is one of those songs that says "oh, praise him," a lot, but there's not much else to say in light of that kind of news. This is all relevant to this week as well--especially as many of us prepare to enter new chapters of our lives.  If God is worthy of our praise, God is just as worthy of our trust as we enter the unknown.

Holy Spirit: Some variation of "God doesn't have an A team and B team among Christians" was mentioned several times today.  We firmly believe that God is calling all Christians to be ministers--not just pastors.  We sang this song about acknowledging the presence of the Holy Spirit and longing for a greater awareness of the Spirit's presence because it is the transforming power and imaginative guidance of the Holy Spirit that we need the most for finding ways to live as Christ in the world.

Future/Past: This song dwells on the scandalous truth that the infinite God has chosen to have an interpersonal relationship with finite creatures in time and space.  In part, this song uses the image of a human(who experiences time) being swallowed up in a Love (that is not limited by time) that is not subject to change from one moment to the next.  This is the Love that our graduates carry with them as they move to the next phase of life, and its the Love that we maintain as we say goodbye to them.  

Wayward Ones: We always sing this song when we do communion, and we always have communion on the first Sunday of the month.  We sing this song as Resurrection people remembering the events that led up to our Hope (the Resurrection).  We are broken, wayward people with the hope of being made new.  Part of taking communion is to identify ourselves as part of a community of Resurrection people much larger than ours--a community that our graduates will not be leaving.  

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 4-26-2015

This week, our friend Dan Venzin preached to us from Joshua 24. Our songs were gathered with the fourth week of Easter in mind. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

All Creatures of Our God and King by David Crowder* Band

Death in His Grave by John Mark McMillan

Because He Lives

Wild One by Jameson McGregor

How Great Thou Art

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

All Creatures of Our God and King:  God does not plan on abandoning the world. God is making all things new. The Resurrection means that the created world--plants, dirt, animals, people--have the hope of being made new.  This song is one of those songs that says "oh, praise him," a lot, but there's not much else to say in light of that kind of news.

Death In His Grave:  A glaring part of Easter hope is the fact that death is no longer the end of human life. Though it's hard to see from our vantage point, Jesus changed something fundamental about the human condition: the thing that was broken about us is being fixed, and we get to share in the Resurrection of Jesus.

Because He Lives: The Resurrection redefined human life in such a way that we do not have to mourn the passing of each moment. Life is a gift, and though death is certain, the hope of the resurrection can give us the audacity to embrace each new day.

Wild One: God is not bound by who we expect God to be. The disciples expected a different kind of Jesus than they got.  Reason expected Jesus to stay dead. We can rest knowing that God is greater than we expect, and that God is active in time and space.

How Great Thou Art: We sang this to look over our should at the songs we sang last week. This hymn is ultimately pointing a finger at the fact that God is "great." In the context of Easter, we emphasize the fact that God is great because God did not abandon us to our brokenness, but instead came down low to where we are, suffered, and died, so that we wouldn't have to be trapped in our brokenness anymore.  This is not only the God who made us, not only who knows us, but who loves us.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 4-19-2015

This week, Josh preached from Luke 24:36b-48. Our songs were gathered with the third week of Easter in mind. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Just a Closer Walk With Thee

Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle

How Great Thou Art

Murdered Son by John Mark McMillan

Jesus Paid it All

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Just a Closer Walk With Thee: As we think through the multitude of things the resurrection of Jesus means for us, the idea of having a relationship with Jesus is one of the most simple. Jesus died. Jesus rose. (and we'll get to the part where Jesus ascends to heaven in a few weeks). The point is, Jesus is very much alive, and that's not going to change.

Fall Afresh: This song carries with it an idea of renewal--especially in terms of having a passionate, energetic faith.  In the context of Easter, we ask the Spirit to reawaken us to the joy and hope of the Resurrection.

How Great Thou Art: This hymn is ultimately pointing a finger at the fact that God is "great." In the context of Easter, we emphasize the fact that God is great because God did not abandon us to our brokenness, but instead came down low to where we are, suffered, and died, so that we wouldn't have to be trapped in our brokenness anymore.  This is not only the God who made us, not only who knows us, but who loves us.

Murdered Son: The language of this song can be pretty jarring.  We are accustomed to hearing Jesus' death identified as a "sacrifice," rather than a "murder."  While there was no doubt a "sacrificial" element of the crucifixion, we might be tempted to forget the scandal and horror of Jesus' death.  This was murder.  God came to humanity in human flesh, and we treated him as less than human.  Despite this--and this makes the Resurrection even more insane--Jesus did not come back with vengeance, but with the hope of redemption for all things.  

Jesus Paid It All: We sang this to look over our shoulder at the songs we sang last week. You can read about those songs here, but what we said about this song was: This song captures another implication of Jesus' death and resurrection: the things about us that should separate us from God are overshadowed by the fact that Jesus gave himself up for us.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 4-12-2015

This week, Josh preached from John 20:19-31. Our songs were gathered with the second week of Easter in mind. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Chariot by Page France

Jesus Paid it All

Revelation Song by Kari Jobe

Noise by Jameson McGregor

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Chariot: The chorus of this song is "we will become a happy ending."  This statement captures one of the simplest truths we think about in light of Easter--Jesus' death and resurrection have changed history, and we can be confident that all that is broken will be fixed.

Jesus Paid It All: This song captures another implication of Jesus' death and resurrection: the things about us that should separate us from God are overshadowed by the fact that Jesus gave himself up for us.

Revelation Song:  In the crucifixion, we see the glory of God correctly: God was willing to be made a fool, tortured, and killed to save us.  The resurrection is the crown jewel of this moment, where we see that the risen Christ was not vengeful, but patient and loving.  This song proclaims God's greatness in light of this.

Noise: This song rests in the simple truth that, though we have all amounted to broken promises in some way, God is working to redeem us.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 4-5-2015

This week, Toph preached from Mark 16:1-8 on the Resurrection. Our songs were gathered around the theme of Easter Hope (and resurrection). Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is an example of one way you might think of these songs in light of this week's theme. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Death In His Grave by John Mark McMillan

Amazing Grace by Citizens & Saints

Because He Lives

When Death Came Calling by Jameson McGregor

Wayward Ones by The Gladsome Light

Doxology

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

In the Night: We sang this song every week of Lent, adding a verse each week (If you felt like this song just kept getting longer, that's because it was).  This song chronicles examples of God's saving God's people from throughout the Bible--the crown jewel of which was the death and resurrection of Jesus--showing that there is a great precedent for trusting God in the midst of immense darkness.    

Death In His Grave: This song proclaims Easter Hope through an artful narrative of the crucifixion and resurrection.

Amazing Grace: We sang this song to think about what Jesus' resurrection ultimately means for the human condition--God has saved us from our self destruction and we don't have to feel trapped in our brokenness.

Because He Lives: This song reminds us that the resurrection isn't just something we look back on, but something that breathes meaning and purpose into the present and gives us hope for tomorrow.

When Death Came Calling: This song examines grief in light of the Resurrection.  We often hear that, because Jesus has risen from the dead, death has lost its sting.  This phrase can potentially make us think that death shouldn't be tragic for Christians, but this is simply not true.  Death is immensely tragic and worthy of grief, whether one is a Christian or not. The Easter Hope Christians have is for the future--that the end goal of human life is no longer death, but resurrection; that the day will come when there is nothing left for death to take away.  This hope carries us in the present, but we hold this hope alongside our tears, not instead of them.

Wayward Ones: We always sing this song alongside communion, reminding ourselves that none of us is worthy of sharing the Lord's table, yet he invites us nonetheless.

Doxology: We close our time together each week with this proclamation that God is worthy of praise from every inch of the cosmos. 

-JM

Setlist 3-29-2015

This week, Josh preached from Mark 11:1-11. Our songs were gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday and help us enter Holy Week together. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is a brief explanation of how this week’s songs fit together. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Here is Our King by David Crowder* Band

Wandering by Jameson McGregor

Lord I Need You by Matt Maher

Up On A Mountain by The Welcome Wagon

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Be Thou My Vision

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Here is Our King: We sang this song to identify with the crowd of people who were excited about Jesus entering Jerusalem.  When we call Jesus King, we do so knowing that he is a different kind of king than the Jerusalem crowd was expecting (thankfully).

Wandering: This song acknowledges that God is faithful to us even when we fail at being faithful to God, and thinks about ways God uses our mistakes as tools for something greater.

Lord I Need You: We sang this song a few times at the beginning of Lent.  As we near the end, we sang it to prepare us for Holy Week as we rely on God to help us avoid the temptation to pass through Friday and Saturday unbothered by the weight of Jesus' death.

Up On A Mountain: This song paints a picture of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, and embraces the fact that Jesus was not serenely waiting for his torture and death to unfold--he was terrified.  Let us not forget that God knows what it is to be afraid and to desperately want things to be different.

In the Night: We will be singing this song for the next couple of weeks, as we have every week this Lenten season, adding a verse each time. Lent is often a rough time for us as we confront who we are and who we are becoming, and this song does a good job at placing hardship and hope side by side.  

Be Thou My Vision: We will be singing this every week in Lent as well--as we close our services, we will ask God once again to be our vision and wisdom as we continue on for another week in the desert of Lent.

-JM

Your Favorite Albums of 2014

In January, we started compiling a list of your favorite albums of last year via the Embrace Beauty bulletin board. These were your responses:

Here are Spotify links to all the albums. (except t-swift, who just can't even.) 

John Fullbright- "Songs"
Foo Fighters- "Sonic Highways"
Taylor Swift- "1989" [x3]
Copeland- "Ixora" [x6]
Ellie Goulding- "Halcyon Days" [x2]
Noah Gunderson- "Ledges"
Damien Jurado- "Brothes and Sisters of the Eternal Son" [x2]
Mark Ronson- "Uptown Special"
Fit for a King- "Slave to Nothing"
Vacationer- "Relief"
The Digital Age- "Rehearsals II"
The Gladsome Light- "Wayward Ones"
Sage Francis- "Copper Gone"
Ben Howard- "I Forget Where We Were"
Lecrae- "Anomaly" [x2]
Keaton Henson- "Romantic Works"
Weezer- "Everything Will Be Alright in the End"
Ryan Adams- "Ryan Adams"
Ingrid Michaelson- "Lights Out"
Parker Milsap- "Parker Milsap"
The War on Drugs- "Lost in the Dream"
Trip Lee- "Rise"
Kye Kye- "Fantasize"
Seventh Day Slumber- "We Are the Broken"
Joyce Manor- "Never Hungover Again"
Hozier- "Hozier"
Maroon 5- "V"
Sturgill Simpson- "Meta Modern Sounds in Country Music"
Damien Rice- "My Favorite Faded Fantasy"
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Soundtrack
Code Orange Kids- "I am King"
Comeback Kid- "Die Knowing"
Minus the Bear- "Lost Loves"

Go listen to something you haven't heard! And remember: if you like any of this and want to listen to it a lot, you should pay for it!

JM

Setlist 3-22-2015

This week, Josh preached from Jeremiah 31:31-34. Our songs were gathered around the theme of deliverance. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is a brief explanation of how this week’s songs fit together. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Holy Spirit by Jesus Culture

Deliver Me by David Crowder* Band

Oceans by Hillsong United

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Be Thou My Vision

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Holy Spirit: This song talks about the hope and freedom that the Spirit brings into our fear and shame.  We sang this last week as well, so be sure to look at last week's post for more thoughts about singing this song in the midst of Lent.

Deliver Me: This song acknowledges that God is the one who is able to free us from the various kinds of oppression we experience in life--both the trivial and the grave.

Oceans: We sing this song as a reminder that when we walk into chaotic or horrific situations, we can be confident that God is there in the midst of them.  God is not simply watching us from afar as we follow plans God made a long time ago--God is among us in our joy and pain, our leisure and struggle, laughing and crying with us and pulling us toward the day when God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

In the Night: We will be singing this song for the next couple of weeks, as we have every week this Lenten season, adding a verse each time. Lent is often a rough time for us as we confront who we are and who we are becoming, and this song does a good job at placing hardship and hope side by side.  

Be Thou My Vision: We will be singing this every week in Lent as well--as we close our services, we will ask God once again to be our vision and wisdom as we continue on for another week in the desert of Lent.

-JM

Setlist 3-15-2015

This week, Josh preached from Numbers 21:4-9/John 3:14-21 on healing brokenness. Our songs were gathered as a declaration of the work of Father, Son, and Spirit in the midst of our Lenten Journey. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is a brief explanation of how this week’s songs fit together. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Just a Closer Walk With Thee

Wandering by Jameson McGregor

Holy Spirit by Jesus Culture

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Be Thou My Vision

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Just a Closer Walk With Thee: This song expresses a desire to draw closer to Jesus, who knows just how weak humanity can be, but is strong enough to carry us through our most difficult temptations.

Wandering: This song underscores the faithfulness of God to God's people even when we try to put words in God's mouth and try to use God as a tool for our own success.  As we wander through the wilderness of Lent, we can rest assured that God is faithful to us.

Holy Spirit: This song is a sort of invitation for the Holy Spirit to be present with us.  The Holy Spirit by no means needs our permission to be with us as we worship, and we have no reason to believe that we have the power to command the Spirit's presence.  That being said, the invitation-like form of this song allows us to express a desire to experience the presence of God in a particular way--different from, perhaps, the way we experience God's presence when we walk to the kitchen or drive to work. In the context of Lent, the presence and power of the Spirit is our connection to the story of Jesus--the same Spirit who is present with Jesus in the Gospels is present with us as well.

In the Night: We will be singing this song for the next couple weeks, as we have every week this Lenten season, adding a verse each time. Lent is often a rough time for us as we confront who we are and who we are becoming, and this song does a good job at placing hardship and hope side by side.  

Be Thou My Vision: We will be singing this every week in Lent as well--as we close our services, we will ask God once again to be our vision and wisdom as we continue on for another week in the desert of Lent.

-JM

Setlist 3-8-2015

This week, Josh preached from Exodus 20:1-17 on the Law and Christian Imagination. Our songs were gathered around the theme of rest. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is a brief explanation of how this week’s songs fit together. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

House of God Forever by Jon Foreman

Beautiful Things by Gungor

It Is Well by Horatio Spafford

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Be Thou My Vision

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

House of God Forever: This song contemplates Psalm 23, emphasizing that God is trustworthy and has our best interests in mind.  As we continue through Lent, we can rest in knowing that God is at work within us.

Beautiful Things: This song champions the fact that God works in unexpected ways to bring new life into dead things.  

It Is Well: This song grabs for peace in the midst of tragedy.  It is often difficult to sing this song honestly, but we sing it together so those who can sing it honestly can sing it for those who cannot. If everything else we sang about this week is true, we can have "It is well" in the back of our minds in the face of tragedy, even if we can't bring ourselves to say those words.

In the Night: We will be singing this song for the next three weeks, adding a verse each time. Lent is often a rough time for us as we confront who we are and who we are becoming, and this song does a good job at placing hardship and hope side by side.  

Be Thou My Vision: We will be singing this every week in Lent as well--as we close our services, we will ask God once again to be our vision and wisdom as we continue on for another week in the desert of Lent.

-JM

Setlist 3-1-2015

This week, Josh preached from Mark 8:31-38 on suffering. Our songs were also broadly gathered around the theme of suffering. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is a brief explanation of how this week’s songs fit together. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Wandering by Jameson McGregor

Deliver Me by David Crowder* Band

Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Be Thou My Vision

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Wandering: This song explores the fact that God is faithful to us despite the fact that we often try to use God for our own purposes.  In the midst of suffering, we have a tendency to attach a reason to it, sometimes even saying that God wanted some horrible thing to happen.  Though we often try in vain to make God fit into our expectations so that we can understand how God works, God remains faithful to us.

Deliver Me: This song acknowledges that God often does not pull us out of suffering, but instead though suffering.

Fall Afresh: This song is a cry out to the Spirit to be present with us.  This is a reflex we desperately need in the face of suffering.

In the Night: We will be singing this song for the next four weeks, adding a verse each time. Lent is often a rough time for us as we confront who we are and who we are becoming, and this song does a good job at placing hardship and hope side by side.  "In the night, my hope lives on," is an accurate summary of the Christian view of suffering in less than ten words.

Be Thou My Vision: We will be singing this every week in Lent as well--as we close our services, we will ask God once again to be our vision and wisdom as we continue on for another week in the desert of Lent.

-JM

Setlist 2-22-2015

This week, we were fortunate to have Sharyl West Loeung preach to us from Psalm 25 about Lent. Our songs were also broadly gathered around the theme of Lent. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is a brief explanation of how this week’s songs fit together. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

Come Thou Fount

Beautiful Things by Gungor

Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

In the Night by Andrew Peterson

Be Thou My Vision

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Come Thou Fount: This song proclaims God's carrying us through difficult times, despite our tendency to try and take matters in our own hands.  In Lent, we know that we are to put effort into living whatever different lifestyle we have chosen, but that God will be the one to actually form us into something new.

Beautiful Things: As we contemplate our sin and seek to allow God to form us through obedience during this season, we cling to the fact that God's creative trademark is making gloriously beautiful art out of unlikely materials.

Lord, I Need You: We sang this together to proclaim that as we enter Lent with the intention of making ourselves live in a certain way for the next 40 days, God is our strength.

In the Night: We will be singing this song for the next five weeks, adding a verse each time. Lent is often a rough time for us as we confront who we are and who we are becoming, and this song does a good job at placing hardship and hope side by side.

Be Thou My Vision: We will be singing this every week in Lent as well--as we close our services, we will ask God once again to be our vision and wisdom as we continue on for another week in the desert of Lent.

-JM

Setlist 2-15-2015

This week Josh preached from Psalm 131 about humility. Our songs were gathered around the theme of depending on God. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is a brief explanation of how this week’s songs fit together. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs

All the Poor and Powerless by All Sons and Daughters

Your Love Is Strong by Jon Foreman

Because He Lives

Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

All the Poor and Powerless: This song sets the name of God across from other names like "poor," "powerless," "lost," and "lonely." In many ways, the latter group of names is all of us at one time or another. The simple phrase "He is God" points out the unshakable truth that God is the counterpoint to all of our struggles and failures.  

Your Love Is Strong: This song champions the fact that the love of God is strong enough for us to hang all of our needs on God.

Because He Lives: This song points to the resurrection of Jesus as the ultimate point of hope in human history, and claims this hope for the strength to get out of bed in the morning, despite circumstances that may make us wish we would not wake up at all.

Lord, I Need You: This song’s significance is summed up well in the name—it is a declaration that we need God all the time.

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail): As usual, the final song we sang was a look over our shoulder at the songs we sang last week.  Aside from that, this song declares that, while God does call us to live lives that make us uncomfortable, we can depend on God to be our strength.

-JM

Setlist 2-8-2015

This week Josh preached from Psalm 129 about perseverance. Our songs were gathered around the theme of hope. Below, you’ll find the list of the songs and artists. Clicking the song titles will take you to the lyrics. Below the songs, there is a brief explanation of how this week’s songs fit together. If you want to talk about any of these, feel free to comment or email me at jamie@ubcwaco.org.

Songs:

Bonfire by Jameson McGregor

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United

How Great Thou Art

Future / Past by John Mark McMillan

Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle

How They Fit In:

There are many ways to think about the significance of songs and the way they fit together–-this is simply one way you can look at these songs in light of this week’s theme.

Bonfire: This song talks about looking toward the day that God will make everything new, and seeks to grab hold of the hint of this new life that we glimpse in the resurrection of Jesus.

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail): This song seeks out the faith to live like a people who have hope that God is fixing what is broken in the world, even though it does not seem that way at times.

How Great Thou Art: This song proclaims the greatness both of who God is and what God has done in time and space, and connects the awe that we feel toward what God has already done to the awe that we will feel toward what God has yet to do.

Future / Past: This song contemplates the fact that God, Glorious as God may be, has chosen to have a relationship with humanity, and places hope in the fact that the same God who has provided for us in the past will continue to do so in the future.

Fall Afresh: We sang this song this week to look over our shoulder at a song we sang last week (we will likely do this every week), that being said, the kind of hope that we have been singing about is only possible through the help of the Spirit, so it is fitting that we ask the Spirit to breathe life into us.

-JM