The prodigal confectioner – another themed kids talk using chocolate

By Marie@Musicademy | December 31, 2010

We published a script telling the nativity story with chocolate (now featuring a version with American chocolates) before Christmas and then came across this rather wonderful retelling of the Prodigal Son. Its written by writer Andy Back and you can see the original and more of his writings on his website. The Prodigal Confectioner Once upon […]

Chocolate Christmas – wonderful kids nativity talk script

By Guest Blogger | December 20, 2010

David Keen  writes the St Aidan to Abbey Manor blog and posted this rather wonderful script for a Christmas kids talk or mini sermon. It uses 19 bars of chocolate to tell the nativity story. The chocolate brands mentioned are mainly from the UK so you might need to adapt to brands for your country […]

What’s wrong with tradition?

By Tim Bowdler | December 12, 2010

I was watching the BBC News this morning and in between the tales of stranded motorists, planes skidding off runways and items telling me how to make the perfect mince pie, was a performance from a gospel quintet singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing. The five sang jazz, accompanied by um… jazz piano. They sang […]

Top 10 Do’s & Don’ts – a guide for ‘insensitive’ musicians

By Tim Bowdler | April 5, 2010

Bassists, guitarists, drummers, violinists, cellists, pianists, keyboard players, saxophonists: all of you – it’s time to sit up and pay attention. Yes, although you think you have the monopoly on wisdom in your band/ensemble here’s a harsh reality that you need to understand. You don’t. All musicians, regardless of their Christianity and their right-mindedness and […]

What do you say when leading worship? What type are you?

By Guest Blogger | March 25, 2010

Last year at the WorshipGod conference I had the opportunity to teach a seminar called, “What Are You Talking About? What to Say When You’re Not Singing.” I wanted to address the age-old question of what to say, if anything, when you’re leading people in congregational worship. What words can inspire people to worship God as […]

Top 10 Do’s & Don’ts – Lead Guitarists

By Tim Bowdler | February 16, 2010

Guitarists perform a fine balancing act in worship groups. They are there to embellish and add the icing on the metaphorical worship cake. If they bring too much icing with their grab-bag of tricks they can destroy something beautiful within seconds. Lead guitarists should be encouraged, though. Guitarists who choose an electric invariably see it […]

Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts – Worship Leaders

By Tim Bowdler | January 31, 2010

The life of a worship leader is a happy one. These people get all the fame, the royalties, the best-looking girls (or boys), they get to travel around the world and sing their carefully crafted compositions to lots of loyal followers. They are perfect in every way… No. The truth is they get irritable, they […]

Worship Team Hero – the rules of play

By Marie@Musicademy | January 25, 2010

We found this hysterically funny piece in a Facebook Group. It nicely turns on its head lots of our advice.   This group is intended to promote the development of the new video game Worship Team Hero. You play a worship leader of a big time Church in downtown Calgary. As with all worship teams, you […]

Reflecting on what love really means at Christmas

By Guest Blogger | December 17, 2009

If I decorate my house perfectly with bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny baubles, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator. If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas biscuits, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtimes, but do not show love […]