New site

I am now blogging exclusively at ClaytonFaulkner.com!

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On top of new blog posts, you can also download all my music there for FREE.

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What I’ve been occupied with lately…

Sometimes life makes you slow down. Sometimes life makes you speed up. This has been a slow down season for me. Which is really interesting considering we’re smack dab in the middle of Lent. Lent is when you are supposed to reflect and count the cost. I’ve been away from church work and leading worship for 4 weeks. And I haven’t missed it too much. There is no void or empty feeling nagging at me. Maybe I’m not created for religion? Maybe I’m created for relationship?

On March 1, 2010 we met our second son, Masamo, in Ethiopia. We spent a week there getting to know him and enjoying the hospitality of the Ethiopian culture. Now I’m taking some more time doing the important work of bonding with our new kid. You can read about our trip and learn more at http://MeetTheFaulkners.com.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” ~James 1:27

“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” ~Deuteronomy 10:18

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Easter Song Suggestions

Bob Kauflin offers some good suggestions for worship songs on Easter Sunday (April 4)…

Happy Day – Tim Hughes
Uptempo celebration of Christ’s victory over the grave.
The greatest day in history
Death is beaten, you have rescued me
Sing it out, Jesus is alive

His Name is Jesus – Judah Groveman
All Hail the Power with a new chorus.
His name is Jesus, risen Lamb for sinners slain.

A Tomb So Cold – Joel Payne
Uptempo, two verses and bridge.
A tomb so cold, no fitting place
for one whom death could never hold.
You broke the chains, defeated sin,
and glorified you rose again, and you’re reigning

Resurrection Day – Matt Maher
Uptempo song of celebration.
It’s the power in your blood, breaks away sin’s embrace
And we celebrate our freedom dancing on our broken chains

Glorious – Paul Baloche
Mid-tempo song that celebrates the glory of the risen Christ.
Look inside the mystery see the empty cross
See the risen Savior victorious and strong

We Believe – Sam Hargreaves
Uptempo, three verses that explore the suffering Savior, living Savior, and coming Savior.
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

You Alone Can Rescue – Matt Redman

Mid-tempo song that emphasizes our inability to save ourselves.
You alone can rescue, You alone can save
You alone can lift us from the grave

Saving One – Starfield
Eminently singable song that proclaims the effects of Christ’s resurrection in our lives.
His love has made a way, the grave is overcome
Jesus is the Christ, the saving One

Christ is Risen – Jeremy Riddle
Anthemic song that celebrates Christ’s victory over the grave. May be better as a special.
Quickly now go tell the world Christ, the Lord, He is risen
The power of death could never hold Him in the grave

Come, Christians Join to Sing – Alt. lyrics vs. 3 and 4 Kevin Hartnett
A great hymn made even better by the lyrical additions of my friend, Kevin Hartnett.
Come, praise the risen Lamb, Alleluia! Amen!
He died to ransom man, Alleluia! Amen!

See What a Morning – Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
12/8 triumphant hymn filled with passionate theology.
See God’s salvation plan wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
Fulfilled in Christ, the Man, for He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

The Power of the Cross – Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
Destined-to-be-a-classic modern hymn that focuses on the meaning of Christ’s sufferings.
Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life
“Finished!” the victory cry

The Risen Christ – Keith Getty and Phil Madeira
Hymn-like prayer, asking the triune God to help us know the Risen Christ.
O breath of God, come fill this place
Revive our hearts to know your grace;
And from our slumber make us rise
That we may know the risen Christ.

My Redeemer Lives – Samuel Medley
Some additional lyrics to this hymn on the Cyberhymnal site.
He lives to silence all my fears, He lives to wipe away my tears
He lives to calm my troubled heart, He lives all blessings to impart.

I Will Rise – Chris Tomlin
Chris personalizes the impact of the resurrection and ties it to Christ’s return.
I will rise when he calls my name, no more sorrow, no more pain.

Redeemer – Nicole Mullen
A great special, especially if you have a soulful vocalist and choir who can “bring it.”
The same gentle hands that hold me when I’m broken
They conquered death to bring me victory

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Kindle saves the day at a funeral

I’m always a fan of using current technology in unique ways to the benefit of worship. Here is a report on someone using their Kindle to lead a funeral…

If you aren’t familiar with it, the Kindle’s screen uses e-ink. It is a technology that is reflective, meaning that unlike most screens which shine a light in your face, e-ink looks just like a piece of paper. Of course it also brings the usual digital advantages, like enlarging the text at the push of a button.

My usual process is to customize the service on the computer then print it out. In this case all I had to do was prep the service in Google Docs then hit the “Share” button to email everything wirelessly to my Kindle. At first there were some formatting problems, but a few easy tweaks and it worked like a charm. The liturgy was beautiful and easy to read.

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