Friberg's Friday Favorite

At the end of Matt Guevara's message this Sunday, he will sing this song, Home. The service will be powerful and impact many people. I think this song will be a perfect end to his message on the Prodigal Son.

Memorizing Songs

I believe that it is important for a worship leader to know 5-10 worship songs by heart (lyrics and chords). One may never know when they will be stuck without computers, chord charts, or a band to accompany them. They need to be ready at all times. Over this past year, I have utilized this tool of memorization (and the knowledge of music theory) on three separate occasions.

(1) The entire power went out on a Sunday morning. The staff scrambled and tried to figure out what to do. All of the emergency doors were opened to light up the inside of the auditorium (we do not have windows). After talking with the worship team, I went on stage with the team and we led worship in the dark. It was incredible. After the service, many people commented on how meaningful that worship experience was to them.

(2) The Spirit 92.9 team asked me to lead a song while the votes were being counted in this past Opening Act competition. Because the votes took longer than expected, we did not have another song ready (we were finished with the four worship songs that we had prepared). I told the band to play in the key of A and we played How Great Is Our God. The place erupted in worship and we did it without any help. It was awesome!

(3) The computer crashed on a song this past Sunday. We had just started Brenton Brown's song, Everlasting God, when everything went black. I did not have any chord charts or sheet music in front of me (I do not use music when I lead from the guitar - I do use the TV screens to see the words). As we continued to sing, I told the congregation the lyrics before we sang them. When the song was finished, the computer was back up and running. I learned again how important it is to know the songs.

For the sake of the people that I am leading, I need to be ready to keep their focus on Christ (and not on me and my mistakes). I will continue to learn and grow through the difficult (yet important) process of memorization.

Wednesday's Brian Teaser

What country has a Bible on their national flag? There is only one that has it!

Prize to the winner!

Wednesday's Brian Teaser

What is the word, slogan, phrase, or saying depicted below?

TMC
AUO
HSM
WTE

Prize to the winner!

Great Parent/Child Video

We are using this video for our Parent/Child dedication services this weekend. We are utilizing pop culture to illustrate that the parent is always teaching their child.

The Organ

Yesterday, another humorous moment happened during the worship service.

We were finishing up with our opening song, "Song of Hope" and I was getting ready to greet everyone for the first time. We were playing the last instrumental solo and ended the song with a resounding "A" chord. It was nice.

As I said "Happy Mother's Day" to everyone in the room, I started playing in the key of G (different then "Song of Hope) to get us ready for the next song. I had my back to the band and my in-ear mixing station (Aviom).

In my ear buds, I could hear the organ holding out the "A" chord from the first song while I was welcoming everyone to church and playing in the key of "G" on my guitar. I was unaware that the organ was malfunctioning and the person playing the instrument did not know what to do.

So, I continued my greeting and began to pray. The loud "A" chord was wailing away in my ears and I was wondering why the organist was rocking out on this chord. It sounded awful as I was trying to establish the new key of "G" in the prayer.

After I said "Amen" I turned and saw that the organist was standing 2 feet away from the instrument and looked horrified. I quietly told her to shut off the organ and turn it back on. My ears were finally at peace and we continued with the next song.

I found out later that I was the only one who heard the rockin' organ. The sound man cut it out of the house, the rest of the team turned the keyboard channel off in their Avioms, and no one in the congregation even knew the discomfort that I felt while giving the Mother's Day welcome and prayer.

It was a great lesson for me to remember and a funny moment that I will never forget.

Friberg's Friday Favorite

Today, I have the opportunity to open for Kutless. Here is a thought-provoking song that my dad found and introduced to me.