Doxas Universe

Learn to Play "What Can I Do" with Paul Baloche

2006-08-24T16:35:00.000-04:00

Paul Baloche teaches us how to play his Worship song "What Can I Do" on Guitar (video here)
Check out his sweet McPherson Guitar

Christian T-shirt Evangelism Does The Trick

2006-08-21T14:32:00.000-04:00

Nothing opens people's eyes to the love of Christ like good old fashioned judgement on a T-shirt, like this one:We'll actually, now that I think about it, it's probably the single worst way to 'love your neighbor as yourself '. That's probably why I love Worship music so much, it's a non-confrontational way of sharing his love. I firmly believe that the right Worship song inspired by the holy spirit can melt the hardest of hearts; I've seen it with my own eyes. Do the body of Christ a favor, Worship more and don't wear T-shirts like these (unless your wearing it sarcastically, in that case make sure you look really alternative and hip so people aren't threatened by your subtle but humorous declarations of moral absolutes and references to Judeo-Christian value systems.)

Doxas Dialos: Episode 009 - What Everyone Ought to Know about the Future of Contemporary Christian Music

2006-08-18T08:33:00.000-04:00

We're back from our summer break and were jumping right back into the topics that matter. This week we discuss the fate of CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) and the polarization of bands toward mainstream and worship genres. It's a lively discussion you don't want to miss.

Featured Group: Leeland

Family Force Five

Sufjan Stevens

Michael W. Smith

Third Day

Get the Podcast: iTunes | Feedburner

Who Else Wants To Worship With Third Day

2006-08-10T23:22:00.000-04:00

What more do I need to say: Third Day playing Agnus Dei live.
Enjoy

Why Bono and The Cure are My favorite Worship Leaders

2006-08-04T13:44:00.000-04:00

Bono participating in a worship service in New York City, August 2004

I'll never forget the first time I heard Bono sing '40' from the U2 album WAR. It was a techno remix of the 1983 release and I can remember literally feeling waves of goose bumps running up and down my body. Here was arguably the biggest rock n' roll star of my lifetime stripped down of all his image and position singing a Psalm written to God like David probably did thousands of years ago. Was this OK? He's not a Worship Leader, is he? Is this worship?
This experience made me curious about the potential for using other 'secular' songs for Worship. As I looked into it I discovered that this is not a new concept. Evidently many of our ancient hymns and spiritual songs found their melodic origins in secular sources. For example, John Wesley put some of his 6,000 hymns to classical music, a few opera tunes, and perhaps a folk song or two. I asked around to some of my Worship Leader friends and evidently borrowing from 'secular' sources didn't stop with Hymns.
Here are a couple of the 'secular' songs that people have used in Church recently:
(I really like the lyrics by The Cure)

Lyrics from "40" by U2
Lyrics from "You Raise Me Up" performed by Josh Groban
Lyrics for "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher" by Jackie Wilson
Lyrics for "Lovesong" by The Cure
Lyrics for "I'm a Believer" performed by Neil Diamond, made famous by the Monkees

Doxas Dialos: Episode 008 - Interview With Michael Gungor

2006-06-14T13:24:00.000-04:00

After a couple weeks of summer vacation the Doxas Dialos podcast crew comes back with a one-on-one Interview with Michael Gungor of the Michael Gungor Band. Dave catches up with Michael backstage at the Teen Mania Battle Cry tour in Philadelphia right before he goes on stage to a sold out stadium of 20,000 and gets to ask him some serious questions on how to keep your focus on God when you perform/lead worship for that many people. Check it out.
Note: the Battle Cry tour with Michael Gungor is finished

Michael Gungor on MySpace

Download Episode 008 (.mp3)

Doxas Dialos: Episode 007 - Qualifications Of A Worship Leader

2006-05-23T20:23:00.000-04:00

We lead off week 007 of Doxas Dialos with a sample of "I Need You More" by Grace Center Worship, an amazing unsigned worship band from Franklin, Tennessee that you've probably never heard, but we're pretty sure you'll love. Then our top agents investigate the issues surrounding the question: who is qualified to lead worship?

"It's not the performance that matters... excellence can be a form of worship, but excellence can also be a god."
-Jon

"Wanna go ride bikes?"
-Dave

Shout Outs

Booker from Georgetown, Kentucky
Rhema Worship & Praise from Toronto, Ontario
Trevor Davis from San Diego, California
Jars Of Clay from Nashville, Tennessee

Go Deeper: Links to subjects mentioned in the Podcast

Download Episode 007 (.mp3)

Doxas Dialos: Episode 006 - A Tribute To Keith Green

2006-05-15T23:21:00.000-04:00

The usual suspects (Dave, Jeff, and Jon) talk with Jarrod, a local hard core Keith Green fan, about Keith's contribution to modern Worship music and the lasting impact of his ministry.

"I repent of ever having recorded one single song, and ever having performed one concert, if my music and more importantly, my life has not provoked you into Godly jealousy or to sell out more completely to Jesus!"

-Keith Green

Shout Outs (special local edition)

Jason the Person from Bellefonte

Cha from West Chester

Jewels from Coatesville

Lindsay from Morgantown

Go Deeper: Links to subjects mentioned in the Podcast

Keith Bio on Wikipedia.org

Download Episode 006 (.mp3)

Michael Gungor Shows Some Brotherly Love

2006-05-13T00:27:00.000-04:00

I just got back from an amazing night of Worship in Philadelphia and I want to share with it with you. I went down to the Acquire The Fire Battle Cry Conference at the Spectrum where I got to interview Michael Gungor of The Maichael Gungor Band right before he went and lead worship for the packed out stadium (look for the interview on Doxas Dialos in a couple of weeks). Interview summary: great guy with heart of a worship leader who is well aware of the special role that has been given him and the serious responsibilities that come along with it. Between you and me, I'm really glad that I got to interview him before I saw him play, or else I would have known first hand what kind of talent I was talking to and gotten really nervous. On stage The MGB infused a punk rock energy into the lyrics of a Psalmist. My favorite song of the evening was the newest song from MGB called Ancient Skies, I don't have the lyrics but it was basically a worship song that juxtaposes God as a huge and powerful creator, the creator of Ancient Skies, and a close and personal friend. I really enjoyed myself and I'm going to do my best to make it out to their next concert on June 3rd in New Holland, Pa.

(*Note: when I first wrote this it was two in the morning after a really long day and I was Mistakenly refering to Michael Gungor as David Gungor. I profusely apologize to all the readers and the Band. Best Wishes.)

Listen to The Michael Gungor Band
More about Acquire the Fire

2006-05-10T00:20:00.000-04:00

To all our readers out there we just wanted to say you rock and that were so excited that there is a group of people in the world who believe in the value of Worship music for reaching the lost and bringing the world wide body of Christ closer together.

P.S.
You also Rule

Doxas Dialos: Episode 005 - Worship In The Emerging Church, Part 2

2006-05-08T11:59:00.000-04:00

This week Doxas Dialos opens up with a little David Crowder sample and then jumps right back into the stimulating conversation on emerging styles of worship with their special guest Vince. If you don’t think you really understand what the emerging church is or what its about, then don’t miss these episodes.

"There is someone else out there that understands the questions that I have that are not being answered... I really felt like I could Worship God and not have all the Answers."

-Jeff on resonating with the Emerging Church

Go Deeper: Links to topics mentioned in the show

David Crowder Band

Taize

Ten Shekel Shirt

Devil's Playground

YWAM

The Mass Service

Church On The Other Side, by Brian McLaren

TheOoze.com

A Generous Orthodoxy, by Brian McLaren

Download Episode 005 (.mp3)

Refreshed Heart: Interview with Geoff Bullock

2006-05-05T12:06:00.000-04:00

In the early and mid 90's Geoff Bullock was the Worship Leader in Australia. He was the lead Worship Pastor at the thriving mega-church Hillsong, and the author of classic worship songs like By The Power Of Your Love and Refresh My Heart. Everything seemed perfect. He was glorifying God with his music and in return God was blessing his career beyond his wildest dreams. But in the midst of overwhelming success and apparent bliss, Geoff did the unthinkable . . . he walked away.

"Unbeknownst to me, my marriage was breaking up at the same time and obviously there were relationship problems but I was too busy and too self-possessed and too church possessed to notice. And I think there were other political issues going on at the time. Hillsong had just exploded, the church had the Midas touch, and I don’t really think that we were counting the cost of what it really took. I had an inability to say no and in the end, I just disintegrated. I just totally lost my confidence and I honestly thought that when I left, I would slip out the back door and nobody would really notice I was gone...(I)t broke their hearts and to this day there is still real unresolved sadness and a sense of betrayal. And I’m really sad for them but that’s how it was. I feel tremendously responsible that I led them along the garden path of being so incredibly enthusiastic and incredibly faithful that eventually I sentenced them to disappointment because I was trying to fulfil something that I could never achieve...” Geoff Bullock

After Geoff left he was replaced by a little known Australian singer by the name Darlene Zchech.

I like to call this whole scenario the David Complex (no its not named after myself). Here's how it usually works: God touches someones life, they use their abilities to glorify him, people are drawn and inspired by their gift, they rise up out of obscurity into the limelight, they are overwhelmed with success and make poor decisions, they fall, they hit bottom, they repent, God redeems them and sends them back out to do his will (only this time wiser and more fully dependent on him). How many times has this happened across the world and throughout history? How many times has this happened to someone you know? Worship Leaders are especially susceptible to this trap and its no wonder considering the highly visible and valued nature of their position. Its always a struggle to keep your heart right before God, and sometimes it means doing the unthinkable like Geoff . . . walking away.

Read the entire Interview with Geoff on Sitemagazine.com
Read more about Darlene Zchech

Doxas Dialos: Episode 004 - Worship In The Emerging Church

2006-05-01T15:43:00.000-04:00

This week Jeff, Jon, and Dave have their friend Vince come on the show to explain a new Worship style/ Church style called the Emerging Church. Shout outs go to Michael W. Smith (the one and only), the amazingly talented Tim Hughes, Pastor Chris from North Carolina, the increasingly popular Mute Math, and local friends Selah Vie. This weeks featured artist is a young guy from San Diego, Phil Wickham.

"The whole Reformation that happened (through) Martin Luther only went half way. Because he talked about reforming Theology but not about the Practice of the Church." Vince Donachie

Phil Wickham, a Worship artist (click here)
Background info on the Emerging Church (click here)
the Emerging Church by Dan Kimball (click here)

Download Episode 004 (.mp3)

Worship Music around the Globe

2006-04-28T13:46:00.000-04:00

For us who live in the US its very easy to form the misconception that the center of the Worship music world is right here in America. The reality is that some of the most talented Worship bands on the rise are from all over the world.

Check out Hillsong (Australia) and Delirious?(UK)

And then there is Tree63 (South Africa)

For Worship Leaders and Worship enthusiasts its important to stay on top of these bands and other emerging talent that have so much to offer the Worship music community.

More about Hillsong (click here)
More about Delirious? (click here)
More about Tree63 (click here)

Doxas Dialos: Episode 003 - Is Modern Worship Musical Mush?

2006-04-24T13:19:00.000-04:00

Once again Dave, Jeff, and Jon come together to discuss relevant issues in the world of Worship Music and have some fun along the way. Shout outs go to Liz, Executive Man Brand, Steve Garrett, Pastor Dave, and Something like Silas. They also take some time to sample some of the hottest Gospel Music coming out of South Africa with the Soweto Gospel Choir. Finally, they tackle Chuck Colson’s indictment against modern Worship music that he claims is nothing more then musical mush. It gets pretty heated but all sides come together in the end to agree on some fundamental truths about Worship music.

Download Episode 003 (.mp3)

Worship for the Nations

2006-04-21T15:51:00.000-04:00

Christ for the Nations Institute has a rich and extensive history in the realm of Musical Worship. Even though they are first and foremost a Bible College, they have many Alumni that have gone on to minister through Worship music.

"Alumni include Marty Nystrom, a major figure in contemporary Christian music who wrote his much-loved Christian song 'As the Deer'... Sondra Corbett Wood, whose compositions include the widely performed 'I Worship You Almighty God,'...So did Nicole C. Mullen, who has sung in Billy Graham's crusades and done her own recordings. Yet another alum, Ana Paula Valadao Bessa, is one the most popular singers in Brazil – Christian or secular. The Jonas Brothers, a teen trio, are the sons of Kevin Jonas, a former worship leader at Christ for the Nations." Dallas Morning News

With new schools focused on Worship and the performance of Worship music popping up all over the World, it's important to recognize an institute that's been doing it for awhile. Its exciting to witness the new levels of creativity and excellence that have followed these schools of Worship who are not only focused on execution but who have emphasized the true attitude and heart of leading God's children in Worship.

More about Christ for The Nations (click here)
One of the 'New Schools' of Worship (click here)

If you needed any more Proof...

2006-04-19T18:38:00.000-04:00

For those of you who don't believe that Worship music is in the midst of a popularity surge, just check out this article:

"sixstepsrecords' ninth Passion project, Passion: Everything Glorious, released April 4 to wide critical acclaim and became an immediate best seller. Recording the highest street week sales ever for a Passion recording, the album claimed the No. 1 position on the SoundScan Christian Retail sales chart. The album also landed at No. 69 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and became the second highest full album debut in the history of EMI CMG digital releases."top40-charts.com

Get the rest of the scoop (click here)

Doxas Dialos: Episode 002 - Sins of a Worship Leader

2006-04-17T11:24:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another week of Doxas Dialos. This week we give a shout out to our MySpace friends Gia Lucid, Relevant, Chris Tomlin, Tom Curren, Lauren James, and Phil Wickham, we sample the amazing Worship music of ‘The Bridge Band’, and we spend some time discussing the unique spiritual and moral challenges that Worship Leaders/Musicians face in their very public positions.

Download Episode 002 (.mp3)

Youth Find Their Form of Worship in the Cayman Islands

2006-04-13T17:09:00.000-04:00

Recently the Christian Youth of the Cayman Islands gathered together to Worship the Lord in the best way they knew how. There was definitely Worship music present, but the music was playing support act for the vibrant and Worshipful dancing on center stage.

"The first group to perform was a worship dance group from the New Testament Church of God, called ‘Expressions of Praise’. Using dance, they interpreted the gospel song, ‘Always.’ Seventeen-year old group leader, Kimone Fraser, explained why she felt it was a good idea to form a dance group for worship: 'In church everyone is trying to find a role to play.'

'Not everyone can sing; I realized that my form of worship is dance,' she said. 'We chose the song ‘Always,’ to dance to because it is like you are making a promise to God. ‘Always’ means that no matter what we are going through or what He is bringing us through He is our everything, and we’ll spend our ‘always’ with Him,' she said.

Next came the worship dance group from Elmslie Memorial United Church, who danced using brightly coloured scarves as streamers as they interpreted the song, ‘I can only imagine.’ Dance group leader, Lyn Ramoon, said: 'We use the scarves as a way of being led by the Holy Spirit in interpreting the words and music of the song. The different colours express the beauty of God shining in and through us.' Explaining why dance was such an important aspect of worship, she added: 'Psalm 150 is the main scripture that tells us to praise God through dance. I believe that dance was created by and for God. We want to be able to thank God for all He has done for us." The Cayman Net News

Its refreshing to see people so abandoned in thier Worship, using thier whole being to glorify the Lord who obviously means so much to them. Its interesting to juxtapose this vibrant Worship service with those found in most Church's across the U.S. How many concerts/services have you been to where people were so into what they were singing that they couldn't sit still? It defenitely happens but I would stick my neck out and say its not common. Why not? Why have we become so rigid in Worship?"

Cayman Net News Article: Worship Music brings the Caymans together

Chuck no Likie Kelly

2006-04-10T17:09:00.000-04:00

Back in February the prolific theologian Chuck Colson wrote a critical article on modern Worship music entitled 'Musical Mush'. Admitting that he is partial to hymns, Chuck takes specific issue with the Worship song 'Draw Me Close to You' by Kelly Carpenter, pointing out what he calls a total lack of Theological value. He then goes on to make the argument that Worship written for the church today has become more entertainment then Worship. He's worried that this emotional Worship music is replacing all intellect in the church, while he quickly notes that one of his radio shows was dropped by a radio station in order to make room for more Worship music.

Read his original article (here).
Hear the radio reading of the article (here).

Evidently there was a lot of backlash from the radio stations that distribute some of his audio teachings. It seems they didn't appreciate the fact that he was degrading their most popular music format, Worship music. In a small step to appease these distributors Chuck 'clarifies' the situation with an apology letter.

Read his apology letter (here)

Now I respect Chuck Colson and his opinion, but I totally disagree with his conclusions on modern Worship music and his attitude toward Worship styles outside his traditional experience. Obviously this is a debate that has been going on for some years and is a primary reason that this entire Blog is devoted to the defense and promotion of all styles of true Worship music. While Chuck apologizes to the Christian Broadcasters for offending them, in a not to discreet move to prevent his programing from being pulled any further, he never apologizes for his indictment of modern Worship music and his accusations against the sincere Christians who perform and write it. In the end Chuck is entitled to have his opinion and even preferences in the style of Worship music he practices, but he must also acknowledge that his preferences and opinions are based on his personal taste, aesthetic inclination, and not on established theological or biblical truth.

More about Chuck (here)

Doxas Dialos: Episode 001 - Protholics and Catestants

2006-04-07T11:37:00.000-04:00

Jeff, Jon, and I give shout outs to some of our Myspace friends (maybe you), sample the up and coming Worship artist David Childs, and really dissect the influence that different worship styles and denominations have on each other. If you love Worship music and care about where its going, you need to listen (dont miss the bonus song at the end).

Download Episode 001 (.mp3)

Shut up! Shut up! Just shut up!

2006-04-05T17:34:00.000-04:00

By Jon Carlson of Club Worship

"Shut up! Shut up! Just shut up!"
What would you do if someone stormed in during your church's worship service, shouting that at the top of his lungs? Would you try to silence him? Would the worship team just crank it up a notch, trying to drown him out? Would you let him take the pulpit? What if he said something like this: "Thus Saith the Lord! 'I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice offerings I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your guitars. Is this the kind of worship I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a church service, a day acceptable to the LORD?'"
Maybe now you'd start to sit up and take notice. What if this walking interruption continued, proclaiming something like this: "Is not this the kind of worship I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? You hate the one who reproves in court and despise him who tells the truth. You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain (or make your sneakers.) But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"
What would your response be? In case you're wondering, those quotes are taken almost directly from Amos 5 and Isaiah 58.
I don't think I would get much opposition if I made a statement to the effect of this: God's highest purpose for your life is that you would worship him. God created humans solely to receive their worship. We were created for God's pleasure. We would all agree with that, right?
So how intense, how zealous, must God be for the marginalized people he rebukes His children for ignoring and mistreating? How much must God care about the hungry, the poor wanderer, those who cannot find justice in the courts, that he would tell His people to cease their religious ritual (to cease their worship, if you will) until they have dealt with these things?
So next time you're worshipping, listening to the worship team jam out to the latest popular song, ask yourself if you've trampled the poor lately. Ask yourself, when was the last time you worked to maintain justice in the courts? When was the last time you shared your food with the hungry, or provided the poor wanderer with shelter? I think we better start paying more attention to this, before God starts sending radical prophets our way again, telling us to shut up.

Jeff, John, and Yours Truly talk about DJ Led Worship

2006-04-04T19:15:00.000-04:00

I was recently a guest on the Podcast of our friends at Club Worship where we talked a lot about growth of DJ Led Worship and the good old days when I was on staff at Club Worship. Check It Out

Club Worship Pod Cast

Protholic? Catestant? How Worship is blurring the lines between Catholicism and Protestantism and unifying the body of Christ.

2006-03-31T11:26:00.000-05:00

I have had the priviledge of growing up in a denominationally diverse household, where my father came from a Plymouth Bretheren background (not to different then Quaker) and my mother from a Roman Catholic one, while they raised me in a Charismatic Church. Even though I was raised in a Charismatic Church, I was able to hear and see for myself the spiritual heritage of my parents. As I grew older, and experienced more, I quickly realized that outside my house there was a giant chasm between Catholics and Protestants. It was hard for me to understand why two groups who claimed to follow the one true God and his son Jesus the Christ could see each other as complete aliens. I truly believe that diversity is essential to the universal appeal of the body of Christ, but I also believe that isolation and ignorance between members in that body only hurts God.

Its been my assertion on this blog, and anywhere I talk about Worship, that Worship music is a unifying force in the world wide body of Christ. Worship music breaks down walls and focuses our attention on the fact that God is worthy of our Praise and off the incidentals of Church tradition. The best example of this is in the current Worship trends in the Catholic Church and the Emerging Church of Protestantism.

While there will alway be fundamental style differences in Church services, we are beginning to see the influences of these 'brides of Christ' on each other in Worship. Some Catholic Churches have been using Modern Worship songs, complete with Guitars and amplifiers, in thier services while some Emerging Church services are focusing on Liturgical worship. At the forefront of these blurring lines is the Taize movement in the countryside of France, where Christian (both Protestant and Catholic) young people from around the world are coming together to Worship and seek God.

While we have a long way to go, and some of the older generations might no be able to make the transition, we are moving in a direction of unity between Catholics and Protestants, and when all is said and done Worship music will have had no small part.

New Catholic trends in Worship look very similar to Protestant styles

New Protestant trends in Worship look very similar to Catholic styles

More about Taize

Worship with Swicki (its not a band)

2006-03-30T16:36:00.000-05:00

At Doxas my job is to help develop on-line tools for Worshipers and Worship Leaders from all walks of life and from every culture. We work hard to understand Worship Leaders and Worship Musicians needs and then create some sort of solution for them on-line. Sometimes we build applications from scratch, and other times we adapt existing technology for the worship community. Recently we stumbled across a really unique application,called a Swicki, that allows any community to 'train' its customizable search engine to find the most relevant resources for that community. We realized that this would be great for searching through the diverse and ecclectic Worship resources scattered across the Internet (think Google for Worship Music)

(if technical mumbo jumbo bores you then you can just click here).

"Sometimes, looking for specific information has that needle in a haystack feeling. Not only can you get millions of results from a simple query, the most relevant data for you can be buried way down the list. Swickis let you slice and dice and customize your search engine query for other users so that you can specify the most relevant sources. The swicki further refines the results once like-minded users start engaging with it. Every click refines the swicki's search strings, creating a responsive, dynamic result that's both customized and highly relevant." eurekster.com

Check Out the Worship Music Swicki

C.S. Lewis on Worship Music

2006-03-27T14:48:00.000-05:00

With books like 'The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe', 'The Great Divorce' and 'Mere Christianity' on his CV, C.S. Lewis has become a fundamental pillar on Christian thought. While I could sing his praises all day, I think he would prefer if I focused on someone more important then himself. In this excerpt Lewis refers to 'levels' of Worship and why it is so joyful to sing Praises to God. Its a little dense but well worth finnishing.

"It seems to me that we must define rather carefully the way, or ways, in which music can glorify God. There is … a sense in which all natural agents, even inanimate ones, glorify God continually by revealing the powers He has given them. And in that sense we, as natural agents, do the same. On that level our wicked actions, in so far as they exhibit our skill and strength, may be said to glorify Good, as well as our good actions. An excellently performed piece of music, as natural operation which reveals in a very high degree the peculiar powers given to man, will thus always glorify God whatever the intention of the performers may be. But that is a kind of glorifying which we share with the ‘dragons and great deeps’, with the ‘frost and snows’. What is looked for in us, as men, is another kind of glorifying, which depends on intention. How easy or how hard it may be for a whole choir to preserve that intention through all the discussions and decisions, all the corrections and the disappointments, all the temptations to pride, rivalry and ambition, which precede the performance of a great work, I (naturally) do not know. But it is on the intention that all depends. When it succeeds, I think the performers are the most enviable of men; privileged while mortals to honor God like angels and, for a few golden moments, to see spirit and flesh, delight and labour, skill and worship, the natural and the supernatural, all fused into that unity they would have had before the Fall"
From an essay entitled "On Church Music" by C. S. Lewis.

C.S. Lewis on Worship
Read more in Christian Reflections

Time to Talk

2006-03-23T16:26:00.000-05:00

Well, it was only a matter of time. The first Doxas Podcast. It might seem kind of trendy to do a Podcast these days, but no one is really doing one about Worship music across the world. Our friends over at Club Worship helped us set this 'trial' Podcast up. Let us know what you think (leave a comment below). If ya'll like it we'll keep doing it. Looking forward to hearing from you.

"Podcasting is the distribution of audio or video files, such as radio programs or music videos, over the Internet using either RSS or Atom syndication for listening on mobile devices and personal computers. A podcast is a web feed of audio or video files placed on the Internet for anyone to download or subscribe to. Podcasters' websites also may offer direct download of their files, but the subscription feed of automatically delivered new content is what distinguishes a podcast from a simple download or real-time streaming. Usually, the podcast features one type of "show" with new episodes either sporadically or at planned intervals such as daily, weekly, etc. In addition to this, there are podcast networks that feature multiple shows on the same feed." (Wikipedia.org)

Doxas Universe Podcast

The Ergonomics of Worship

2006-03-21T15:51:00.000-05:00

By Jon Carlson of Club Worship

When I'm not throwin' down at Club Worship, most of my waking hours are spent at my day job, as Production Manager of a Christian television station. Recently, we redesigned and rewired our video editing suite. One of the main reasons we did was to create a more ergonomic working environment. (Design factors, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by minimizing operator fatigue and discomfort.) We lowered the desk height, replaced the chair, added new lighting, and brought the computer monitors down to eye level. All this was done for one purpose: to make the working environment as conducive to the task at hand as possible. Overall, I think we succeeded. Now, you may be asking, what in the world does this have to do with worship?

Have you ever thought about how the environment you worship in shapes how you worship? Maybe you attend a church with pews (like I do.) Maybe your church has those nifty stackable chairs. Or maybe you worship in a house church, sunk down deep in your La-Z-Boy. Where ever you worship communally, the ergonomics of the environment will, in some ways, shape your worship.

Think about this: there are two common words in the Bible that have been translated "worship." One means "to bow down," the other is a Greek word, proskuneo, which means, "to kiss towards." Both of those are physically active words, but maybe the environments we worship in aren't conducive to those actions.

That's part of why I love worship in a club environment: we have an ergonomic setting that allows people to bow down, to dance, to spin, to become "undignified" (to borrow King David's term.) Worship leaders have freedom to bring people together in a prayer circle, to have people form small groups to pray for each other, to call people to their knees. There's nothing in the design of the room that's holding people back.

Now, I understand that pews and chairs serve a purpose. In my church, many people (myself included) viewed the way we got our "new-to-us" pews as God's hand of provision and blessing. It's important to have a place to sit for a sermon (if you've ever spent 45 minutes on the floor, trying to pay attention, you know how hard it is.)

But there's something special about a wide open space where people's "hearts scream 'I Am Free!' I am free to run/I am free to dance/I am free to live for you."

Pics of Worship ergonomics in Progress

Randy does Amazing

2006-03-17T14:41:00.000-05:00

Here's a little treat for your weekend. Randy Travis and the original author of the most famous hymn, John Newton, share a similar path. Both spent thier younger days oblivious of God's love, both did what they wanted when they wanted, and both ultimately gave in to his Amazing Grace. Randy's down home country twang adds new flavor to this familiar hymn while giving a glimpse into his personal trail of hard knocks and 'character development'. His story is worth checking out. Enjoy.
Amazing Grace by Randy Travis
Randy's Story
(There is a small download in order to hear the song, but its worth it.)

Meet Chris

2006-03-16T18:55:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have seen the name 'Chris Tomlin' in the CCLI licensing tags during your Sunday morning Worship service, but have no idea who is, here is your chance. Meet Chris:

Quick Click Monday 3/13/06

2006-03-13T15:01:00.000-05:00

Going back to the heart of Worship
8 Articles from 8 Worship Leaders
You should be longing to Worship with the Longing

Best of Breeds

2006-03-10T10:37:00.000-05:00

Image provided by BEC Recordings

For those of us who interact with Worship music and Worship musicians on a daily basis we forget how special these men and women are. So once in awhile it's good to celebrate them as the special breed of musician that they have chosen to be. Here's an example of what I'm talking about:

"Although he appreciates the accolades he has received, (Jeremy)Camp says that awards, gold records and No. 1 singles are not what motivate him to do what he does.
'It's neat and it's encouraging, but it's not what I strive for,' he says. 'It's an extra blessing. God has opened the door for me to minister to people and to reach out. It is just an added blessing, is all it is. If I didn't have those awards, it wouldn't make me feel any different.'" South Bend Tribune

We salute you Jeremy, and Chris, and David, and Jon, and Darlene, and Michael, and Ron, and all the other Worship leaders who humbly pursue God and ministering to his people over fame and fortune.

Jeremy Camp Article

DJ Led Worship

2006-03-09T10:55:00.000-05:00

I've loved Worship since the first time I learned how to sing 'Jesus Loves Me' in Sunday School. As I got older my passion grew and I started to entertain the idea of becoming a Worship Leader. It seemed that I had a special sensitivity for picking the perfect songs for ministering and the right personality for leading in Worship. Only problem was that when I would sing small children would cry and my ADD tendencies allowed me to practice the guitar and piano for all of thirty seconds. So I let the idea of leading Worship fade away, focusing on my other spiritual gifts.

But now I might have a second chance. With the introduction of the I-pod and other digital music devices its now possible to DJ a Worship Service.

"DJ led worship is using turn tables or CD players to lead people into the presense of God with pre-recorded music . . . Dj led worship can be in any style of music whatsoever. If you can play it on an CD player, mp3 device, anything; you can Worship ."
-Club Worship Podcast

Dj led Worship has a ton of advantages. Now small churches with small budgets can have the highest quality Worship music, the emphasis of the Worship can be taken off the performance and solely on God, more people can participate on the Worship team, and it ultimately saves time. Now I'm not suggesting that live Worship bands and Worship leaders are going anywhere, but with the proliferation of technology and its increasing acceptance don't be surprised if you see Dj led Worship in your church.

Club Worship Podcast

Jesus Walks in Worship

2006-03-07T14:31:00.000-05:00

I'll be the first to admit that Kanye's super hit "Jesus Walks" gets me up on my feet. Unfortunately not all of Kanye's music has some of the spiritual redemption that this song does. I had kind of written the song off as his passing homage to childhood influences when I heard of an interview on NPR about the original version of the song created and performed by the ARC (Addicts Rehabilitation Center) Gospel Choir.

"James Allen is the 81-year-old director of the Addicts Rehabilitation Center in Harlem. He founded the center in 1957 after he kicked his own habit. Soon after he founded the center in 1957 -- after kicking his own habit -- Allen founded the a-cappella Addicts Rehabilitation Center Gospel Choir (ARC)." NPR.org

The Choir brings their music alive with Character and pure passion for what their singing. Its beautiful and heart felt Worship music. Check it Out below.

ARC Choir
Audio Interview on NPR

2006-03-02T10:19:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share this inspiring blurb from the pre-face of The Mennonite Hymnal

Moreover, this stream of music is as something alive, discarding the unusable, adaptive to new circumstances, creative in meeting needs as they may exist. Church music has not been contained in rigid, unyielding forms or patterns, but in different ways has supplied musical expression for the church in its developing life and worship. Hymnology, too, as a significant part of the musical heritage of the church, has not been locked in the closed canon of an ancient and unchanging tradition, but has been alive and growing, dynamically ministering to a living and growing Christendom

India Worships Delirously

2006-02-28T15:39:00.000-05:00

Delirious Leads Worship for 1.2 Million in India

If your looking for any more proof that Worship music is leading the charge in bringing the Gospel to the world, look no further. Over four days in February the trend setting Worship band from the UK, Delirious?, ministered to over a million Indians in the city of Hyderabad. India is country that has traditionally been dominated by Hinduism and Islam, yet in recent years Christianity has been gaining traction. This latest outpouring through Delirous? is just a preview of whats to come on the Asian Sub-continent.

"Every night hundreds of thousands of people worshiped God with all they had. By the time the 4 days ended we conservatively ministered to over 1.2 million people with the largest crowd being a sea of faces estimated at over 400,000."
-Official Delirious Site

Delirious Tour Diary

Quick Click Monday

2006-02-27T16:09:00.000-05:00

Watch Out. Child playing (check it)

More then a Necklace (images in worship)

"I absolutely believe that the modern phenomenon of "modern worship" dampens creativity amongst music-making Christians." (who said that?)

Sacred Steel (making sound with metal)

The Great Commision Keeps Rolling

2006-02-22T10:16:00.000-05:00

This Sunday I found an amazing article in the Philadelphia Inquirer (yeah, they still print newspapers). The article explores a phenomenon in the population shift of Christianity from the West (US, UK, CA, etc.) to the East (India, China, South Korea,etc,)

"In 1960, there were an estimated 50 million evangelical Christians in the West, and 25 million in the rest of the world; today, there are an estimated 75 million in the West, and 325 million in the rest of the world"

"They are infusing it with local traditions and practices. And they are even sending 'reverse missionaries' to Europe and the United States."
-Philadelphia Inquirer

Even though for many Christians this isn't news, it does beg the question, 'What does this mean for Worship Music'? We'll, as I've highlighted on this blog before, it means we're going to see more and more musical influences from other countries and cultures in western Worship music. Check out the previous posts on Soweto from Africa and Aradhna from India. I for one whole heartedly embrace it and look forward to the day when Sunday morning incorporates more then two styles of Worship music.

Inquirer Report

Quick Click Monday

2006-02-20T11:16:00.000-05:00

Matt Redman/ Chris Tomlin move in Concert (from the fan perspective)
Matt Redman/ Chris Tomlin move in Concert (the backstage perspective)

Stories behind the Song: John Wesley and the reality behind Amazing Grace. It's AMAZING (hardy har har har)

Taize is coming this way, more about the unique Worship style.

It's hard to beat the rich lush sound of a Martin guitar, but if providing food for your family is higher on the priority list for your modest budget then think about building your own. Martin Kits start at $360 (Mahogany) vs. $1000 and up for the manufactured type.

We <3 you Keith

2006-02-16T12:08:00.000-05:00

Keith worshiping with his instrument of choice

Keith Green has been with the Lord for almost 24 earthly years, but that hasn't kept him off of the biggest and most popular social network on the Internet today. Yes folks, Keith Green has a Myspace page. The creator of the profile dedicated the living memorial to Keith's legacy and memory as one of the most influential Worship leaders of the 70's and early 80's. The best part is that despite his lengthy physical absence there has been an out pouring of love from thousands of his fans, or 'friends', on the site. Now, thanks to emerging technology, a new generation is rediscovering his God given talent and passion for leading others to Worship the Lord.

Keith's myspace profile
More about Keith and his Ministry

P.S.
The <3 symbol in the title has become common shorthand for 'love' on Myspace (think sideways heart).

Bono Leads Worship?

2006-02-15T10:51:00.000-05:00

Bono participating in a worship service in New York City, August 2004

I'll never forget the first time I heard Bono sing '40' from the U2 album WAR. It was a techno remix of the 1983 release and I literally felt waves of goose bumps running up and down my body. Here was arguably the biggest rock n' roll star of my lifetime singing a psalm from the Old Testemant, a Worship song by any other name. It made me think about the potential for useing 'secular' songs for Worship. As I looked into it I discovered that this is not a new concept. Evidently many of our ancient hymns and spiritual songs found thier melodic origins in secular sources. For example, John Wesley put some of his 6,000 hymns to classical music, a few opera tunes, and perhaps a folk song or two.

Here are some other 'secular' songs that people have used in Worship.

"Lovesong" (the cure)
"You Raise Me Up" (josh groban)
"Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher" (jackie wilson)
"I'm a Believer" (neil diamond, made famous by the Monkees),

Lyrics from 40
Lyrics from You Raise Me Up
Lyrics for Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher
Lyrics for Lovesong
Lyrics for I'm a Believer

Aradhna

2006-02-13T14:42:00.000-05:00

One of our passions here at Doxas is discovering the diversity of Worship music being played around the world. Aradhna is a Worship band from India that blend western guitar with eastern sitar to create an exotic sound. The band features Chris Hale(sitar) and Peter Hicks(acoustic guitar) who travel the world playing thier eclectic style, includeing venues across the US, the UK and India. Their songs are called Bhajans (songs of devotion), and they have opened the door for many in India to hear the truth of Christ.

"Without discounting the value of having India's best Western musicians in the church, if the church is serious about its mission, it cannot expect to win the hearts of Indians if it continues only in Western ways."

- from aradhnamusic.com

More about Aradha
Hear Aradha

Club Worship: Get your Praise On

2006-02-07T15:28:00.000-05:00

Every generation and culture finds a way to worship the Lord in thier own unique way while remaining true to core of Worship music, glorfying God. Its no surprise that this generation of young bloods have come together to glorify God with thier own music and dance. At the forefront of this emerging Worship style is Club Worship. I've had the oppurtunity to see it first hand and its beautiful. Kids come from all over the city and burbs to dance for hours to Praise and Worship techno. They hold CW once a month in an old theatre that has been converted to a ball room dance hall. Here's how the CW crew describes themselves:
"Praise and worship in a club environment, rave style. We fill the room with bass, moving lights, and anyone with like mind who will jump in the house of God. Spinning the best in Electronic, and Urban worship music, it's spiritual shock therapy. We believe God is not limited by one style of music, or one particular dance step. He wants our hearts...It's all about Jesus."

Some Pics from Club Worship

Get your Praise On at Club Worship

Six Steps to Success

2006-02-06T13:30:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the folks at Six Step Records for thier overwhelming presence in nominations at the Gospel Music Awards. Six Step Record is home to Lou Gigliou, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Charlie Hall, and the David Crowder Band.

Check out thier Noms

Sweet Sounds of Soweto

2006-02-03T13:21:00.000-05:00

No, their not singing in tongues, but it sure seems inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Soweto Gospel Choir, of the Soweto townships outside Johannesburg South Africa, bring a variety of Gospel and traditional African melodies to life in their native languages (and a couple in English). Traditional spirituals like 'Amazing Grace' and 'Khumbaya' take on whole new levels of meaning and power through the soulful voices of the 26 member Choir, many of whom suffered through years of apartheid. Just listening to their soulful songs of God’s goodness and redemption would make even the whitest believer stand up and shout “WOZA MELI WAMI” (come my savior).

“Meticulous and unstoppable …spirited and spectacular”
New York Times

"as pure and true as the word of God"

Sunday Star Times, New Zealand

More about Soweto

Taize Worship

2006-02-01T15:16:00.000-05:00

If you've been to a college campus or a young adult meeting lately, you might have noticed the current trend in 'Emerging' and 'Post-Modern' style influencing services across the country. In essence these Worship services are a synthesis of ancient and modern styles in worship, liturgical and contemporary styles side by side in one service. A trend setter influencing these liturgical styles comes out of the Taize movement in France. Taize is a united Catholic and Protestant community of believers devoted to prayer and worship. They gather three times daily to Worship and pray. Here is an excerpt describing thier meditative singing:

"Singing is one of the most essential elements of worship. Short songs, repeated again and again, give it a meditative character. Using just a few words they express a basic reality of faith, quickly grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality gradually penetrates the whole being. Meditative singing thus becomes a way of listening to God. It allows everyone to take part in a time of prayer together and to remain together in attentive waiting on God, without having to fix the length of time too exactly."

More about Meditative Singing

More About Taize

Flying Into Daybreak

2006-01-26T12:01:00.001-05:00

The gotee guru himself, Charlie Hall, has just released his newest Worship album Flying into Daybreak (circa Jan, 2006) . Following up his 2003 On The Road to Beautiful, a studio crisp Flying into Day Break is a mix of sincerely personal ballads and Worship anthems. It's selling well on I-tunes (#27 in all sales).

A song that will find it's way into a Church near you: Center (a plea for help in re-aligning the position God has in our lives). For me the must hear track is Come For Me, a heart stirring song of personal Worship about waiting on the Lord for daily rescue which closes out the album with quiete awe.

**Side note: I can't help but notice how much Charlie Hall sounds like Peter Furler of Newsboys, especially on the track Your Glory Endures Forever. This is by no means takes away from the value of the album, just an observation.

More on Flying Into Daybreak

Open the Doors of Their Hearts

2006-01-24T14:50:00.000-05:00

Evangelism has never been easy, and its certainly not getting any easier. This current western world has 'been there, heard that' when it comes to the message of accepting Jesus into thier heart. Either through the embarrassingly out-of-touch caricature of evangelicals in the media or the actual out-of-touch lifestyles of Christians, the ears of many have been closed to the message of Christ. For the most part it’s not this message that they are rejecting, but the messenger. Images of phony bologna televangelists and rabid street corner prophets demanding 'turn or burn' have become serious road blocks for spreading the word. However, with a renewal of creativity and emphasis on authenticity in the body of Christ there is once again hope for effectively communicating salvation.

At the forefront of this new evangelism is Worship Music. We live in a music obsessed society that has music universally available; the car, the office, the home, the gym, and everywhere else (thanks to the portability of Ipods). There have never been more musical artists then there are right now and there have never been more mediums through which to hear them. Music is everywhere and its influence is extensive.
In here new book Worship Evangelism, Sally Morgenthaler makes the case for how and why Worship music is opening the hearts and minds of the world to a simple message of salvation they would never otherwise hear.

Here is a review by the Publisher:

"In Worship Evangelism, Sally Morgenthaler calls the church to consider the remarkable, untapped potential of worship as an opportunity of those who aren't yet followers of Jesus Christ as well as those who are to encounter the presence of God. Combining the best of traditional and contemporary worship music and practices, Morgenthaler shows how to achieve worship that's both culturally relevant and authentic. She helps pastors, worship leaders, and musicians - Understand worship and its attraction for non-Christians - Tear down walls that keep unbelievers from meeting God in church worship - Make worship evangelism happen--in any culture Morgenthaler draws on sound research and her extensive experience as a worship leader to offer an energetic, hands-on approach. Now with a study guide that encourages group discussion and personal action, this timely book offers fresh vision for worship evangelism and provides the strategies to implement it."
More about this book

When Music Matters.

2006-01-09T11:49:00.001-05:00

To say that Luke Quedenfeld, founder of Doxas.com , is on a spiritual journey would be an understatement. From his baptism as a Mormon and his Catholic upbringing to declaring himself an atheist and eventually returning to God as a born again Christian, Quedenfeld has taken a unique track to finding his faith.

Excelling in both sports and academics, few would have recognized Quedenfeld as a highly troubled youth. But, having closed the door to spirituality, he declared himself an atheist and quickly found himself immersed in a dark circle where drugs and alcohol were not only accepted, but a part of daily life. For years, Quedenfeld was heavily involved with the drug scene, making poor choices and speeding down a path of moral degradation and personal desperation.

Even as he continued to experiment with more dangerous substances, Quedenfeld longed to escape his downward spiral of self-destruction. He knew life was more meaningful and too precious to waste in a haze of drugs and alcohol. In a moment of clarity, Quedenfeld opened his heart to finding new purpose and began rediscovering his spiritual faith.

Accepting an invitation from a friend, Quedenfeld attended a meeting of his local church’s youth group. This was his awakening. For the first time, he heard praise and worship music and was deeply and profoundly touched.

“During my journey, worship music spoke to me as the lyrics pried into the depths of my soul,” said Quedenfeld. “It drove my heart to express the feelings I had buried inside. I was blown away; worshipping God was so powerful. It made such an impact on me that later I would experience worship music by myself at home, the music pounding through my body, with nobody around, and feeling God so near.”

Having rediscovered his faith, Luke redirected his life and joined Teen Mania, a traveling ministry that uses music and new media to spread the word of God. While with Teen Mania, Quedenfeld’s love for worship music was reaffirmed continually as he saw thousands of young people transformed by the hope and power of worship music. He knew that he had to be a part of promoting worship music as a vehicle to affect positive global change, but how he would do it remained unseen.

With the continued rise in popularity of online media and digital entertainment, Quedenfeld saw an opportunity to spread the word of God and promote worship music through the use of online music distribution. With this idea, he founded Doxas.com, the only online Christian worship music source to provide not only digital music downloads, but also sheet music, team management tools, industry news and commentary, blogs and more.

It is Quedenfeld’s hope that prayer and the positive life-affirming message of worship music can improve the lives of people around the world, just as it did for him.

“Doxas.com promotes worship and worship promotes God,” said Quedenfeld. “I cannot be more satisfied with that.”

2005 the year music broke free from the stranglehold of the corporation

2005-12-29T09:49:00.001-05:00

It is hard to pinpoint when things began to go wrong between the major record labels and the music-buying public. All anyone can say with any certainty is that the fun went out of the relationship a while ago. Maybe it was the record industry's sour-faced approach to illegal file-sharing and downloading. Or perhaps it was the deadening routine of Pop Idolatry and over-hype. Either way, it was hardly surprising when the fans began to seek excitement elsewhere.

This has been the year fans have increasingly taken music into their own hands, rejecting the over-processed diet served up by many major labels in favour of something a little more homemade. In the process they have notched up numerous high-profile successes, including Arctic Monkeys , Arcade Fire , Clap Your Hands Say Yeah , Spinto Band and Nizlopi.

More...

Apple's iTunes edging out music stores

2005-11-22T14:11:00.000-05:00

Apple’s popular iTunes Music Store edged out three traditional music retailers during the July through September time frame to leap into the number seven spot of top U.S. music retailers — and it’s likely to displace more stores by the end of the year, according to the NPD Group Inc., a market research company.

The iTunes Music Store beat . . .

Link

Apple to Raise iTunes Prices?

2005-11-17T16:58:00.000-05:00

EMI chief says Apple will change to a flexible pricing structure.
November 17, 2005

Apple Computer may blink after all on its dogged determination to keep its price per download for iTunes songs at an across-the-board $0.99.

The company that created the portable digital device sensation, the iPod, and the iTunes Music Store that drives it, may be about to give in to pressure from music publishers such as Warner Music Group and EMI Music.

In a story in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal, Alain Levy, chief executive of EMI, is quoted as saying that he discussed the issue with Apple CEO Steve Jobs and he believes that Apple plans to change its one-price policy. Apple wouldn't comment to RedHerring.com about the report.

Defining Worship

2005-11-14T13:43:00.000-05:00

Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536) once said "Every definition is dangerous." That may explain why when we try to define a word simply and precisely we often end up missing significiant aspects of the word we're defining. Attempts at explaining worship as "love," or "intimacy," or "relationship" say something true, but end up leaving out more than they contribute to our understanding of worship.

In spite of Erasmus' warning, over the years I've come across numerous definitions of "worship" that have caused me think about worship more biblically.

Free PDF Sheet Music

2005-11-09T22:12:00.000-05:00

Check this out... saw it on digg.com. Free public domain sheet music in pdf format.

http://www.free-scores.com

Open Source I-pod

2005-11-03T09:01:00.000-05:00

Wired magazine has an article about a potential competitor to the iPod.

"Consumer electronics manufacturer Neuros Audio is tapping the open-source community to convert its upcoming portable media player from iPod road kill into a contender. This could be a stroke of genius. Open-source Linux has taken on Microsoft's dominant Windows operating system, and Mozilla has challenged the ubiquitous Internet Explorer web browser. In the same way, open source would seem suited to breaking Apple Computer's digital music stranglehold."

The firmware code for the Neuros Audio player is here. They have assembled the majority of the player, but have left the interface to be developed and modified by open source.

It seems unlikely that an upstart brand will be able to take on the iPod even with a great interface but this is a great experiment and could serve as an example as to what open source can achieve.

Into the Dark Net

2005-11-02T13:38:00.000-05:00

I am just in the process of finishing Darknet Which I would strongly recommend to anyone that is interested in how communities, and peer-to-peer networks are changing the structural nature of how we consume content, and how big media are in a vicious dogfight over who has control to the kingdom of content.

J.D. Lasica has written a well researched and important contribution to the the debate about what our digital society will look like in Darknet: Hollywood's war against the digital generation

His treatise is that there needs to be a very different model by which all content is distributed, shared and how this is more an opportunity rather than a threat for the old guard of big media. If only they could see it.

There is a strong resonancy between Darknet and Communities Dominate Brands. Although starting from very different worlds, we have arrived at similar conclusions - though Lasica has shown the clear demarcation lines in the US, between big business who want to retain the status quo and customers who as Ed Richards of OfCom describes as having experienced A gentle, gradual, evolving, historic act of liberation. via technology.

History has shown, once you have stormed the Bastille, you don't go back to your day jobs.

And the empowered consumer is not going to give the bastille back - and why should they? As we all know, all media in the US was built out of a desire to drive mass consumption via mass media. This is no longer the case, as we and Lasica have amply demonstrated.

Traditional companies are fighting this situation like days die, gasping for every last ray of light. And Lasica describes this many times over, cataloguing how hard the music and film industries have strong-armed the legal system, the FCC, and Government into an effort to snub out, file sharing, peer-to-peer networks, inventive and collaborative technologies and attempting to coerce the consumer electronics industry to lock down its products, to protect its own interests.

This has resulted in "cyberspace speakeasies and high tech Cotton Clubs of the Darknet."

Lasica argues

the overall trend is toward greater engagement. We are becoming more selective in our program choices, more vocal about the kinds of entertainment and information coming into our homes, and less willing to lend our eyeballs to a single entity to engage us for an entire evening.

Poor America, is all I can say. It seems even your rights to share home movies is a bone of contention with the media moguls. And their reach stretches across the Atlantic as one coder discovered to his cost. In his foreword Howard Rheingold mentions the efforts of big media attempts to lock down the internet and limit the ability of ordinary people to produce cultural works that threaten to compete with media conglomerates

At least we have the BBC - who have already understood what it will take to successfully survive in the digital age . And when one combines Darknet with Robery McChesneys book The problem with the Media It looks like a US civil war is being fought between the old analogue media world and the people that want more control over their media choices. I will imagine this will only intensify over the coming years.

Lasica says:

A lot of kids feel they're being gouged by big coprorations.

And of course big media see it very differently.

But what I really like about Darknet is Lasica's efforts to proscribe a world that could work for everybody. And I am all for signing up for that. Because ultimately that's the point - of envisioning a world, a new future, that benefits the many people. More access, a better distribution of the profits and revenues for all. Of course there are going to be some that really don't like that idea. Shame.

When you think it through, folksonomies like flickr.com or wickipedia , the underground file sharing masses like waste , blogs, iPTV, Skype, the people that run radio for their local communities, freenet spell the end for mass media as we know it.

Lasica reminds us that when Napster was shut down 57 million people were using the people-powered music swapping site. That is almost the entire population of England. Are all these people criminals? Or does this saying something fundamental about the relationship between big business and its customers?

It represented the first public wave of a media revolution that is continuing today.

And as the Economist said on 2 April of this year

Many ﬁrms do not yet seem aware of the revolutionary implications of newly empowered consumers. Only those ﬁrms ready and able to serve these new customers will survive.

That what our book is about, and how better to engage with them.

Finally I quote Jonathan Taplin, a proponenet of on-demand media, who told a senate committee in 2002:

Our country has a choice of two visions of what our media culture might look like. One might be five hundred channels (owned by six corporations) and nothing on. The other might allow consumers easy on-demand access to a world of unique artistry of such power and grace as would melt the heart

Posted by Allen Moore of Communities Dominate Brands

Why Companies are from Mars and Customers are from Venus Part 2

2005-11-02T13:35:00.000-05:00

Q: What's a record company? A: An organisation whose survival depends on suing those who are potentially its best customers.

This opening statement from a recent John Naughton piece Striking a bum note brought a wry grin to my face thinking about one of my favourite sayings - that companies are from Mars and customers are from Venus.

And so I thought that in fact there was a part 2 follow up from yesterday's post.

As Naughton says adding rocket fuel to what we say in our book

Scarcely a week goes by without some salivating music industry executive detailing the latest batch of lawsuits launched against file-sharing teenagers.
In an interesting variation on this litigious theme, Candy Chan, an American parent of one of these errant youngsters, refused to settle on behalf of her 13-year-old-daughter, Brittany. When she announced this plan of action, however, the record companies decided to go after the kid directly.

But in order to do this they had to find a way of neutralising mummy. So they petitioned the court to push Mrs Chan aside and appoint a legal guardian in her place.

Truly, you couldn't make this stuff up. The whole saga of music downloading is set to become a business school case study on the lengths to which an industry will go to defend a business model that technology has rendered obsolete.

There is a Darwinism that springs to mind here that my good friend Tomi Ahonen taught me.

That it is not the strongest or the most intelligent that survive, but those most adpated to change

The music industry demonstrates a mindset based on analogue mass control - rather than understanding that these digital natives of the music file sharing world are in fact their route to greater profits and revenues.

Naughton asks, and I imagine at this point he is looking up to the heavens

Why has the industry not spotted the potential of the net as a heaven-sent way of distributing its product and increasing its profitability? Why have artists such as Metallica supported record labels in their untenable stance, instead of realising that the net offers them a way of increasing their royalties? And why has society tolerated the ludicrous stance on intellectual property implicit in the music industry's actions?

Why indeed? And lets not forget mobile

As Tomi will tell you there are 40 million mobile phones in the world that have MP3 players, whilst direct sales of music to mobile (real songs, not ring tones) amounts to $400 M.

As the mobile internet develops the opportunities for new services and business models distribution and two way flows of information and content, will grow.

Still if your company is still wanting to live on Mars then, perhaps a gentle reminder form the Economist from April 2 2005, will help.

Only those firms able to serve (newly empowered consumers) will survive.

So its back to Darwin. and Shoshana Zuboff

These individuals are seeking new consumption choices that can redefine commerce. The new individuals want to make a difference, they want to be heard, and each wants to matter.

Then there is the Artic Monkeys who went from nowhere to number 1 in the UK music charts

Here Naughton drives his point home about how in his view the litigious record industry is not thinking about its customers on venus

Finally, what of the plea (sometimes made by record company executives) that if they didn't exist, who would find, nurture and market musical talent? Who would spot emerging stars, publicise their work, arrange live gigs, get them played on radio stations, photographed by magazines?
Until last week, this argument appeared to have some validity. And then a Sheffield band called Arctic Monkeys burst onto the scene, and blew even that rationale out of the water. Their debut track, 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' jumped straight to the top of the UK singles charts. Yet until very recently, they didn't have a record company. How come?

Well, from the outset, Arctic Monkeys have made brilliant use of the net, distributing free MP3s from their site and encouraging fans to pass them on. The result: sell-out live gigs, a growing buzz and the number one spot in the charts.

Well bugger me, its so obvious it hurts. And the Go Team were also credited by pitchforkmedia.com by building their fan base via the blogosphere.

Then lets look at this recent intiative Artists First which is designed to allow fans to get mp3 files from individual bands websites to mobile.

Naughton finally asks

So can someone please remind me: what are record companies for? Answers on a stamped, addressed plastic disc.

I would also suggest reading another post we made entitled Into the darknet which expands the thinking and debate on how legacy media companies are trying to halt the inoxerable march of digitally connected communities and their use of media content

Posted by Alan Moore at Communities Dominate Brands (http://communities-dominate.blogs.com/)