This past week, the students in FY100 viewed Vineyard Music’s Leading Worship DVD with Matt Redman, Brian Doerksen, Tim Hughes, Kathryn Scott, Brenton Brown and Andy Park.

So, here is the question for InResponse:

What elements, philosophically, made the most sense to you about how one effectively leads others into a worship encounter? Recall ideas of intimacy, accessibility and integrity and comment on them. What practical aspects of preparing yourself and others to lead worship struck you the most (i.e. flow, rehearsal, memorization, etc.)?

As this post has come late due to my travels, I welcome more brief responses if the students are getting to this just now.

Still out of commission post UK. Back blogging on Thursday, hopefully with some photos of the trip.

Till then, check out the new B5 media site. Some helpful things in this network of blogs.

Oh, and keep praying for our friends devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Many of my friends with Vineyard Music USA in Houston, TX are deeply impacted by the disaster.

Still out of commission. Back blogging on Thursday, hopefully with some photos of the trip.

Just flew in last night, then drove 5 hours to get home again. It is so good to see my lovely wife and beautiful kids again.

After some sleep, work around the house and soccer games, I’ll blog in tomorrow and review the trip. Thanks for the support.

Our time in Oxford was a blast. I’m staying with friends here, and preparing to fly out tomorrow. It’s late, so I’ll update more on the events later.

It was amazing how well-received these What Is Worship? ideas were — ancient and biblical as they are, yet needing a fresh retelling of the human Story to be awakened in Christians to grasp ahold of them.

We met in a gorgeous Anglican Church — and had rich times of worship and ministry. My wife hurt her back today at home, so please pray for her as you read this post. More later.

I’m sitting here with good friend, Mike and Helen Frye (Be The Centre), Nathan Horner, Dave Mitchell, Chris Whitelock and Pete and Mary Ellen Fitch enjoying a cup of coffee and connecting at a heart level (no we’re not; we’re just jabbering).

Mike feels as though Brit music rocks. Helen feels as though Canadian music rocks. You must hear Jodie Jones, their daughter, at www.JodieJones.co.uk.

Great time with the Vineyard UK songwriter’s gathering. We leave for Oxford in a few moments for the next WIW event.

What Is Worship? Oxford begins in a few days, and tomorrow Peter Fitch and I meet with the Vineyard Records UK songwriters for some encouragement and dialogue on the wear and tear of visibility and travelling.

More on Oxford later. I invite your prayers. Our worship, teaching and ministry times are off the charts fun. God is doing beautiful and significant reformations in worldview, worshipview, cultureview and heartview.

These are good days.

Sailed into Liverpool over the Irish Sea last evening. Many wonderful saints have done the same - what a privilege to follow in their wake.

Today is a day of sleep and rejuvenation after a high energy weekend.

This past week, the students in FY100 viewed a demo of the new What Is Worship? DVD to be released soon by Vineyard Music, and that forms the basis for the events we’re doing throughout Europe over the next year.

So, here is the question for InResponse:

In what ways did the themes of this DVD re-shape your vision of what worship is? What were the phrases or ideas that you found especially impacting? How would the ideas surrounding the imago Dei and the “wiring for worship” human beings have in them reform present church practice and our view of culture?

Go for it.

I was going morning, noon and night since we got here in Northern Ireland, so I haven’t had a chance to update.

The What Is Worship? event couldn’t have gone better. Rich worship times (co-leading with Kathryn Scott), wonderful interactions in the teaching/workshop session, and lots of great times with our Irish friends from Port Stewart and Belfast. Oh, good Guiness in the homeland.

It’s been a blast doing the event with Peter and Mary Ellen Fitch, too. We blend well on so many levels. Playing with Callum Rees, Matt Weeks, Jesse Duley, Claire, Dave and Kathy has been just plain over the top fun.

You make music a tapestry of groove and sonic wonder — thanks for creating a transcendant atmosphere for people to encounter God.

More later. Big ferry ride after the Great Big God children’s event we do today at the Causeway Coast Vineyard.

I fly out today for Northern Ireland, and then later in the week it’s off to Oxford for the What Is Worship? events.

In between we’ll be meeting with the Vineyard Records UK key songwriters and leaders for a time of encouragement and ministry.

Many things are stirring in my heart for this time. Our worship times I expect to be deep and strong as a river, and our ministry times to be a sweet space of encounter with the Father.

I feel like we’re stepping across the threshold of a goldmine, ready to plunge into its depths together, looking for the vein of richest strike.

It will be a joy to lead with Kathryn Scott and some musician pals in N.I., and then with Prod and company in Oxford.

More as the week progresses…

I’m wrapping up our next issue of Inside Worship magazine today, and this issue is deeply touching me.

It’s called Worship & Community, and author Phyllis Tickle gave me an interview that is reminding me of so many things.

One of the best quotes is:

“History is simply our corporate spiritual memory.”

That is the key to the importance of Christians understanding the superb and the sordid about human history and Church history, and our rocky quest to live in the Grand Story.

Our corporate spiritual memory is vital to our personal spiritual memory.

I’m in a flurry of preps for our trip to Northern Ireland and the UK this Wed. Weha.

Tonight my entire family joined me in our rough rubble basement, where we loaded in our winter wood for the upcoming season, and stacked it into massive wood walls.

With Garrison Keillor and Prairie Home Companion playing in the background, we spontaneously broke from our work and began a line dance to some down home fiddle playing.

My youngest (Ben, 9) couldn’t contain his exhuberance. Britney Spears would be shocked at the dance moves we witnessed from him during our impromptu, lower level barn dance.

It is in the moments where work and play become indistinguishable that we grow together as community.

When laughter and playfulness can meet meet labor and stress head on, there is an ease to the processes of living, dying and the expending our energies.

Community can make the largest tasks bearable, because we get to do them together.

These posts (that start with FY100) on my blog pertain directly to the students in the course FY100: Leadership In Contemporary Worship Practice at St. Stephen’s University. From anywhere you are in the world, feel free to jump in and join our class conversation.

We have an excellent class of passionate young leaders, musicians, artists and worship leaders. We’re going to have a blast learning and growing together.

There are approximately 11 students, and we began our work worshiping together, getting to know each other, reviewing the FY100 Syllabus, detailing the course work and resource media, and listening to Matt Redman, Brian Doerksen and Kathryn Scott (all via video) speak of their personal journey into contemporary worship leadership.

Our first InResponse question, to be posted by the students by next Friday on this post, is:

“What did you love and hate, find helpful and unhelpful, about your own worship experiences through your faith journey to date?”

Answers will be posted by Friday. Click “Comment” below, and dive in. We welcome others outside of the class to join the conversation.