It’s all very well having a drummer in your church playing in the worship team. What happens when that drummer has to leave or cannot drum anymore? Do you have other drummers, ready to pick up where he left off and even ready and willing to go further?

Having more than one drummer in your church is not a bad thing. Trust me. It’s a good thing, because you have talent that you can sharpen and train to ‘come up through the ranks’ in the worship team and become drummers of sensitivity, maturity and with hearts for worship. Continue reading »

Some churches who profess to be Christian and Bible-based seem to have a problem with using a drum kit in church as part of the worship. I have always found this view to be very amusing, even more amusing when I see the reasons given as to why drums should not be allowed in church. Continue reading »

Drums and emotions can be linked. The way they are played, the way they sound. It can be a very therapeutic experience and generate a vast array of feelings from joy to aggression, to sadness. Rhythms can evoke emotion, encourage and inspire.

Think of almost any movie you’ve watched. Was there music in it? A backing track or soundtrack? Today’s movies rely a lot on the musical soundtrack to have a much greater impact on the viewer. The music affects your mood and emotions in the movie, creating angst or tension or excitement or even heartache. The music in the background plays an incredibly powerful role in a movie. Without even realising it, one is taken on an emotional rollercoaster of feelings that will affect how much you may or may not have enjoyed the movie. Continue reading »

“A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.’” – Isaiah 40:3

‘Lord‘ is translated from ‘Jehovah‘ as in God Himself. So it’s not His angels or some ambassador, it is God. That’s quite a responsibility. John had that mandate at the forefront of his life’s mission : make a straight path for the Lord. How did he do it? One way was using his voice.

A headless guy named John

In Matthew 3:1-3 we read about John. He was, shall we say, different. Read on from verse 4 to verse 10 and you’ll see just how different he was! His voice was heard clearly and his message was explicit and intentional. He stood up to the religious leaders of the day and did not mince his words. He challenged the religious status quo and just kept preaching the same message that God had given him. Of course, the final result of his preaching was his head being chopped off and put on a platter as birthday gift for someone! Not the most glorious ending for the voice…but the voice was heard and made an impact on all who heard it. Continue reading »

[Before you read this article, don't be misled by the title, ok? It's not like one of those '10 steps to freedom' or '5 weeks to change your life' - those are silly. Keep reading and you'll see what I mean!]

You’re a drummer. You’re a Christian. Perhaps you play drums in your church. Maybe you’re in a band making a living as a musician. You could even be in a band that is evangelical, ministering or leading worship. Whatever your situation, you have a gift, a skill, a talent given to you of great worth and significance. You have the gift of rhythm. You have the ability to use your body and its members to put together beats and patterns, sounds and rhythms that surround us in everday life and let you paint soundscapes that affect body, mind and soul. Isn’t that an incredible gift? Continue reading »