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… Continue reading »

Sometimes the best beat, the best rhythm, is just your plain old 4/4 – bass on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4. Nothing more needed! I think, sometimes, we try get too fancy with our music and lose the heart of it. It becomes a project, rather than a prayer. It becomes an album, rather than an expression. It becomes commercial rather than intimate. We take a means of Christian expression to God and package it, label it, brand it and sell it to other Christians. We make Top 10 charts of the best ones, we perform it at concerts – worship concerts..? 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 »

I find myself in a situation in our church where I am currently not playing drums (we’re in a new church). This is a rather odd and almost ‘fish-out-of-water’ experience for myself as I worship freely and deeply when behind my kit and don’t often have nothing in front of me when worshipping! So this is new for me and a challenge as I find myself tapping nervously on the chair in front of me, much to the annoyance of fellow congregants and my wife! It made me think : do I worship God because I have my drums in front of me, because it is where I am most comfortable? What about when I am not comfortable? Am I able to worship then? Continue reading »

I walk to the bus stop every morning to take a bus to work. It’s about a twenty minute walk. Along the way I get to listen to music on my iPod and think about various things. I like to have a wide selection of music so I can listen to something that will suit my mood (or affect my mood!).

Instinct
Now, have you ever been sitting or standing somewhere and a really catchy, beaty sort of song comes on the radio, and you find yourself tapping your foot or hand in time (or not!) to the music? Of course you have! We all have! We instinctively relate to rhythm, it’s innate. Don’t you just love that?

The reason I asked you that, and also gave you my seemingly irrelevant bus routine, was to share with you something I tried a little while ago. One morning I found myself naturally stepping in time to whatever song was currently piping into my canals. So, I decided to start listening carefully and, as each song started, I adjusted my pace and gait to match the tempo and rhythm. I wasn’t hopping or skipping or anything, just stepping in time and concentrating on staying in time.
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