Worship Musician! Magazine - JulyAug 2011

Worship leader and songwriter, Reuben Morgan, on the importance of holding in mind our own limits as well as God’s potential. 

It was never really about the numbers. Even though there were 24,000 hands lifted high throughout the 97 minutes of 136 decibel worship, nothing could compare to the planet-shaking power of the three little words that were burned in our hearts that night: God Is Able.

This was the recording session for God Is Able, our latest live album recording. The venue was full of people working to the best of their abilities, but like every one of the live Hillsong album recordings that had gone before, this one had its own unique balance that left its own unique impression upon us. As 12,000 hearts were carried back out into the night, we knew that the evening had taught us a valuable set of lessons.

Like this one: God’s presence is robust. He’s not nervous or timid, and He is always present, never failing, never out of time or out of action. So when the first chord sounds and the hands go up we’re not doing it to try and get His attention in the hope that He might stop by if His schedule allows. We can sing will heads thrown back and hands held wide in the knowledge that God is already among us. It’s not a matter of asking did God show up to our meeting. The question to wrestle with is this: did we show up to meet with God?

Here’s another truth that landed on us as a team as the album was created: generous hands will never be empty. The song God Is Able was written to encourage our church family in their giving, reminding them that our Lord is able to do great things with even the humblest of offerings. Then the cyclones and the floods hit our homeland, and we watched as innocent lives were devastated overnight. And in one of those beautiful ironies that God seems to delight in, the song which started out life as a call to give ended up becoming a source of real inspiration and encouragement to many in our church. There’s nothing quite like hearing the roof lifted by the words ‘God is able’ to turn back fear and calm the tears.

Maybe I’m so taken with this whole idea that God Is Able because like so many worship leaders, writers and musicians these three words represent one vital, essential truth to which we must continually return. It’s entirely natural for any creative to look back at our work and exhale the words ‘it is good’. But there can be a temptation to go a little further, to add some more words, to praise ourselves and celebrate our own abilities. And while that doesn’t look so out of place when the actors take a bow, that kind of ego-polishing has no place at all within the church. 

So people like you and me need to remind ourselves of the wider context in which our abilities sit. Yes, it is important to work hard to be great at your craft. And, yes, it is important to do everything we can to create sounds and sights and songs and sensations that help people connect with the one true God. But we must never forget the fundamental truth in all of this: that the very best that we can create can never come close to matching the impact and power of God Himself. You, me and these humble shadows which flow from our hands, they can never change lives - not in the way that God can.

And isn’t that what we’re about? I mean, strip it all away - the lights, the albums, the internet sales and buttons we click to show what we like - aren’t we all just hoping to take whatever small part God allows us to play in the transformation of those He loves and calls by name?  As worship leaders we might use music as a tool, but music is only ever just that - a tool with which to encourage lives to be renewed and awakened to God. And if all that is true, how can we be anything other than utterly dependent on God to bring the change we long for?

This album reminded me of one final, simple truth - that the life transformation within a worship experience happens because of God. Not because of the songs or the singers, but because of God. Nothing more. And if you want me to be really honest, I kind of suspect that all this good stuff happens in spite of me.

Isn’t that the most encouraging, beautiful truth of all - that in spite of our failings, our mess-ups and our mixed up motives, God is able. Isn’t that worth singing about?

Written by Reuben Morgan, Worship Pastor, Hillsong Church 

"Restless," written by Audrey and Matt Maher, was inspired by the confession of St. Augustine and is one of our favorite tracks on her new album, The House You're Building. It compels us and gives us words to address our need for God and reminds us of the peace that can only be found in Him.

Make sure to watch Audrey's brand new video on WTv discussing the idea and importance of silence in worship with a few of her friends.

Listen to "Restless," download a Free Lead Sheet, watch the New Song Cafe video and let us know what you think in the song conversation!

Do you like the way your acoustic guitar sounds but hate the way it translates through the PA?  We have been looking for better acoustic guitar pickups to resolve the prevailing issue of thin fake sounding guitars.

We recently went into the studio to compare the LR Baggs Anthem systems with older acoustic pickup systems.  The first comparison was between the LR Baggs Ribbon Transducer, which was LR Bagg’s older flagship pickup, and the new Anthem system.  The guitar used in this comparison was a rosewood and spruce Morgan.

Older LR Baggs Ribbon Transducer

New LR Baggs Anthem System

The second comparison was between an older Fishman under saddle pickup and the LR Baggs Anthem SL.  (The Anthem SL has the same components as the full Anthem without the blend control, phase switch, and battery check on the cotroller).  The guitar used in this comparison was a 1970s rosewood and spruce Guild.

Older Fishman Pickup

New LR Baggs Anthem SL System 

Both comparisons proved the LR Baggs Anthem system is a new generation of acoustic guitar pickups designed to deliver clearer more realistic acoustic guitar sound. These pickups sell for $299 and $199 respectively at Musician's Friend, and are an amazing value for such a significant upgrade to your acoustic guitar sound when leading worship.

Anthem System Details:
The mic is mounted to the bridge plate inside of the guitar to capture the majority of the guitar's tones.  The mic is much more feedback resistant than traditional acoustic guitar mic pickups. LR Baggs uses the Element Under Saddle Pickup to capture the lowest frequencies. The controller for the Anthem is mounted in the sound hole and has volume, mic/pickup blend, phase switch, as well as a battery check.  For more information and tech specs please check out their website! 

Our good friend Matt Maher has put together a great collection of 7 videos that guide us through Holy week. 

As we go through this Easter week together, our hope is that these videos will help us focus our hearts on the impact and reality of Christ's death, burial and resurrection as we prepare to lead our churches this weekend. 

Checkout WTv every morning for a new video!

Stuff Christian's Like is one of my favorite blogs and I could help but share today's post. Enjoy!

Click here for a fun, light-hearted read and be prepared to laugh at yourself a little!

At first glance if all you knew about Hillsong was from listening to their recordings or attending a concert, you might think that Hillsong is just a successful record label and publisher. It's true they are hugely successful, launching worldwide church anthems such as Mighty To Save, Shout to the Lord, Salvation Is Here and Forever Reign. But at the heart, Hillsong is a local church and all their creative endeavors are a product of the ministry that happens at their home in Sydney, Australia. 

After spending the week "down under" with Hillsong, it's obvious that everything they do flows out of the ministry. Every conversation about songs leads back to an experience or a particular ministry need at the church. All the worship leaders and musicians are serving weekly in various ways throughout the church. Many of their leaders grew up in the church and began leading in the youth ministry or attended the Hillsong college. 

Key worship leaders Joel Houston and Reuben Morgan office near Senior Pastor Brian Houston and share an assistant. This is pretty amazing considering Hillsong has over 1,500 volunteers in the worship ministry! Every week, Hillsong has over 30 services in the greater Sydney area in various locations. Every service has a worship team, along with sound, lighting and projection techs. 
Hillsong is a creative church with many large events throughout the year. From the Hillsong conference that happens yearly in July to their Vision Sunday in February, there's always another big event coming up on the calendar. This keeps Joel, Reuben and the other key leaders busy with planning, writing songs for the church and constantly raising up new leaders - things you might find in any active church. 

Hillsong has also managed to take the ministry DNA from here in Sydney and reproduce thriving local churches around the world in places like London, South Africa, Kiev, Stockholm and most recently New York City. Hillsong's passion to reach the nations with the Gospel propels them forward. 

God has given Hillsong a unique position to influence people worldwide for Christ. After spending a few days with the church, it's apparent that they have no plans of stopping anytime soon.

From Reuben Morgan - This has been an unforgettable few days in Australia. I guess along with the rest of our nation, my family on holidays, watched horrified at the flood scenes on our TV screens, never imagining we would see this kind of devastation in our own country.

It was an amazing thing to see that our own feelings of wanting to do something, anything to help, were echoed in our church and then right across Australia. Everyone is doing what they can.

As we gathered together as a church last Sunday morning, we began to sing a version of the old hymn “It is Well with My Soul”. This song was originally written by a man after his own family had died in a shipwreck. It’s a song that says - "I will trust in God who is greater than any trial or circumstance".

In that service last weekend at our Brisbane campus the response was overwhelming, people who themselves and their families have suffered incredible loss, standing together and framing those events with faith and hope... 

Read the rest of the story on Hillsong Collected and download a Free Lead Sheet at the bottom of the post.

This song is available for download on iTunes and all proceeds from this recording go to help the Queensland Flood Relief Effort in Australia.