How come I haven't heard anything about Re:Sound in a while?
It all boils down to the tension between music as a business and music as a corporate worship ministry rooted in the local church. To say these issues are complicated is an understatement, and we would seriously appreciate your prayer moving forward.
In the meantime we are excited to announce the release of Silent Night, a Mars Hill Christmas album, featuring my band Ex Nihilo. We recorded seven classic Christmas songs put to new arrangements about three years ago. Mars Hill has been enjoying this project, and we are anxious to share it with you. My band and I also went into the studio last month and recorded a new arrangement of “What Child Is This,” and we are giving this song away for free. Check out ReSound.org to link to the album, download the free bonus track, and learn more about the project.
Let me know what you think and if you have any questions on Facebook or Twitter.
Mars Hill Church is an amazing movement to be a part of. When I came to Mars Hill 10 years ago it was an almost 3-year-old church plant of about 200 people. By God's grace it is now a movement of 9 campuses across 2 states drawing well over 8000 people together on a Sunday to hear God's word and respond to him together in song. Music has always been important at Mars Hill, and as the worship pastor I have seen God build a whole movement of worshiping musicians leading well over 25 different bands all across Mars Hill.
New Free Podcast
When we launched Re:Sound last spring I had in mind a larger audience and more polished recording projects. However, at Mars Hill Church we have been giving away free downloads of live music from our worship gatherings for years. As a way to share more of what God is doing among the musicians of Mars Hill, we are launching a new podcast.
The Mars Hill Church: Worship podcast will highlight worship leaders and songwriters from across the church as well as brief insights into the theology of worship and why we respond to God the way we do at Mars Hill Church. There will also be new songs with every installment. Join me for the first episode, which includes an interview and new song from Cam Huxford of Mars Hill Downtown Seattle and another song from my band Ex Nihilo.
I’m excited to announce the official launch of ReSound.org. First of all, thank you to everyone who spread the word and downloaded our introductory sampler last week. Special thanks to all those we met at the Advance 09 conference in Durham, North Carolina. It was a privilege to be there and lead you in song.
Today we release our first full-length album, the Rain City Hymnal. It’s a collection of modern arrangements of 12 hymns by 5 different Mars Hill bands and represents our most ambitious project to date. These old songs represent the essence of our task in corporate worship: combining an ancient message of truth in music for a particular people, time, and place.
At the Resurgence we love to offer resources to encourage and build up the church. So for a very limited time, we are offering the Rain City Hymnal exclusively through Noise Trade. Through our friends at Noise Trade you can choose to either pay what you want for the album or download it for free in exchange for helping spread the word about our music. You can also embed the widget in your blog or website and help spread the word even further.
Visit Re:Sound, check out the Rain City Hymnal, tell your friends, and help spread the word. Let us know what you think on Twitter at @ReSoundMusic. As always, stay tuned to the Resurgence for more information on the Rain City Hymnal and many more projects in the months to come.
This week The Resurgence is proud to announce Re:Sound, Resurgence Music. Re:Sound will be a consistent stream of music that is theologically unified, stylistically diverse and musically excellent. We are excited about this music and so, as a way to kick it off, we want to share 8 songs with you for free between now and June 11th. These songs are selected from the first 4 albums to be released on Re:Sound this year. Download the songs, share them with your friends and come back to Resound.org June 11th for the official launch of Resurgence Music.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am the worship pastor at Mars Hill Church, and you can hear my story here. Here are six things that I’ve been up to lately:
1. The Psalms
Last fall I started what was to be a weekly series digging into a Psalm a week here on the Resurgence. Like Maverick from Top Gun, my mouth was writing checks my body couldn’t cash. While that series fizzled out, I did preach a 2-week mini-series on the Psalms at Mars Hill in late 2008. You can check out Delight in the Word - Psalm 1 and God is Good? - Psalm 73 in the Mars Hill Media Library.
2. The Glory of God
March 1st of this year I also preached on the great theme of God’s glory in 1 & 2 Peter as well as all of Scripture. The glory of God is a central, unifying theme throughout Scripture and has profound implications for all worshipers of Jesus Christ, musician or otherwise. You can check it out here.
3. New Team and New Job
Early in 2009 Mars Hill brought on Pastor Rick Melson, previously with John Piper and Bethlehem Baptist Church, to oversee our ever-expanding Mars Hill Campus Network. I and my team have become a part of the Campus Network leading in corporate worship and band and music development. You can read more about what we are up to, including the new Resurgence Training Center, at Mars Hill Global.
4. Across the Pond
After a tremendous week of fellowship with church planters from all over the world at our 2009 Acts 29 Seattle Boot Camp, I got on a plane for my own international experience. In my first trip overseas I traveled to England to teach at the New Frontiers Worship School. I spoke on what it means to have a missional understanding of worship, and you can get my main sessions here.
5. Easter
Easter is the biggest day of the year at Mars Hill Church, and this year was no exception. I have never seen the Spirit of God move so visibly in gathered worship. We welcomed 10,500 people across 7 campuses and 22 different services. We also baptized 350 people, about 200 of which were at the Ballard campus while my band and I played our guts out for God’s glory. You can watch the whole service here, including me baptizing my daughter, Emma, at the end of the 11:30am service.
6. Re:Sound - Resurgence Music
The folks with great theology don’t tend to have music that you would want to listen to, and the folks with music you like don’t tend to have great theology. Re:Sound will be the musical end of the Resurgence, dedicated to bringing you theologically unified, stylistically diverse, excellent music. Our music will also be free for any ministry use you can think of, as long as you don’t charge money for it. Re:Sound will launch Thursday, June 4th, in conjunction with our Advance 09 conference. I will be speaking on the “Marks of Missional Worship,” as well as leading in song with my band, at a special event in Raleigh, NC Friday, June 5th. For more info go to ReSound.org.
Lastly... I’m always full of things to say, but I would like hear your questions about music, worship, bands, or Mars Hill. Follow me on Twitter @PastorTimSmith and post your questions with hashtag “#pts?”. I don’t guarantee a response to everything, but the most popular questions will likely end up answered here.
I am pleased to finally announce the official launch of Re:Sound (ReSound.org) on June 4th at the Advance 09 conference in Raleigh, NC. After a great deal of blood, sweat, and legal fees, I could not be more excited to bring you the musical wing of The Resurgence. Just as Pastor Mark has established Re:Lit to make available culturally accessible, biblically faithful resources in print, we will do the same with music. Re:Sound music will be a consistent stream of music that is theologically unified, stylistically diverse, and musically excellent. Better yet, these resources will be FREE for any non-commercial or ministry use. (editors note: By free Pastor Tim is saying that once you buy the music, you can use it for ministry or non-commercial use without needing to acquire licenses or get individual permission.)
Connect with Re:Sound
Go to ReSound.org to sign up for the Resurgence newsletter and get a reminder when Re:Sound goes live.
As a way to celebrate the launch of Re:Sound, we’re holding a special event as a part of the Advance 09 conference. For the first time ever, I’m actually bringing my band, Ex Nihilo, to a conference outside Mars Hill. I will also be joined by my friends Matt Stevens from Vintage 21 in Raleigh, Mike Cosper from Sojourn in Louisville, and their bands. I will be speaking on "the Marks of Missional Worship” followed by Q&A with all three of us. This event is open to all who are interested, Advance 09 attendees and others, but space is limited, so show up early.
Join us for Re:Sound: A night of worship in Spirit & Truth with Vintage 21, Sojourn, and Mars Hill Church.
Details
Friday, June 5, 2009
7:30pm The Summit Church Brier Creek Campus
2335 Presidential Drive, Durham, NC (map)
If you haven’t heard of Advance 09, check it out and register today as it’s almost full.
Advance is coming June 2009. The Resurgence is hosting this conference in Raleigh, NC, to provision the local church for the advance of the gospel. Find out more.
As I’ve been working towards the launch of Re:Sound, the future musical division of the Resurgence, I’ve looked at a lot of different ideas on how to put out music. At this stage in the game, the list of options reads more like a Chinese menu than Chipotle, and it’s more than a bit overwhelming. I recently came upon this interview with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. While Trent is not a Christian in any way, shape, or form, he has had a solid 20-year run with his band. He has covered every end of the music industry from major label releases, to running his own label, to his current and very unique brand of independent distribution.
Trent has no love for the conventional music industry, and his view is that the old model is basically dead. However, no other unified model has risen up yet to take its place. He gives the following advice to artists on how to proceed in an industry in transition:
1. Identify What You Are Trying to Do
If you are working to be a pop superstar with the mass appeal of Justin Timberlake or the American Idol scene, then you need a major label with all their resources behind you. If you are trying to change the world, and you feel like your music is more unique and creative, then you might not want a major label. You need to find a way to connect directly with your audience.
2. Hone Your Craft
Content is king, and you want to put out the very best music you are capable of. You should also work to present your music in a way that exploits your strengths. Be creative.
3. Think of the Filters You Use to Find Your Music
Go to those filters (blogs, websites, and networks) and spread the word about your music. Use word of mouth to your advantage among the networks of people most likely to appreciate your work. Then work out from there.
Do Not Conform to the Pattern
Reznor is working towards a very different goal than the glory of God, but I think there is real wisdom in his words. We have a strong tendency to be passively conformed to the patterns, schemes, and business models of the world. While our music may (and rightly should) sound like the music of the world at times, we have a very different truth, purpose, and goal in mind. Why should we assume the same business and distribution models would be appropriate? We must instead be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). Then, through prayerful thought, research, and planning, we may discern how to proceed to the glory of Jesus.
If you have questions or comments, look me up on Facebook or Twitter.
Over the next few days millions of people will get together across America and beyond to give thanks for something.
The question is—what are people giving thanks for?
For many it is a time to gather with family they may or may not want to be with, watch sports and eat a lot of Turkey. Surely we have more to be thankful for than beer, football and gluttonous feasting. Right?
As I have been thinking about these things the old hymn “Man of Sorrows” keeps coming to mind, especially the refrain “hallelujah what a Savior”. It sounds like a total “Sunday School” answer but the reality is that Jesus is the only true reason for deep, abiding thankfulness and joy. Everything else will fail or pass away at some point.
In Christ we find all truth, grace, love, compassion and forgiveness which he freely offers to us at the cost of his own blood. This changes everything. In Christ we can see flawed family members and friends as people deeply loved by a Savior and in need of redemption just like us. In Christ every feast becomes a foretaste of the joy we will have dining with Him in heaven (Is. 25:6). In Christ even football becomes... well I’m not sure what Jesus has to do with football but that’s just me.
Last Sunday I led the Mars Hill Ballard campus in a very simple rendition of “Man of Sorrows” focusing on this refrain, “hallelujah what a Savior!” I’ll ask you the same question I asked them. What has Jesus saved you from? Where would you be without his initiation in your life?
I challenge you to ask this question and share the answers with whoever you gather with this week. It’s always all about Jesus. Here is the the song we sang together last weekend.
Here is the second half of my interview with Don & Ryan Clark from the band Demon Hunter.
Don and Ryan will be premiering their new, feature length documentary about Demon Hunter called "45 Days" at Mars Hill Church Ballard Campus this Friday, November 21st at 7pm. The evening will include an acoustic performance of some of their songs and is free.
From time to time I will have a series of guests contribute as we dig into the Psalms. This week we will hear from my dear brother Joel Brown from Mars Hill. Joel and I have been working together at Mars Hill in one way or another since I came to Seattle 9 years ago. He is a record producer, drummer, guitar player, singer, songwriter, sound engineer, the leader of MH band “Red Letter,” and currently serves as my “Director of Band Development.” If that weren’t enough he’s also in our elder process. Here are his thoughts on Psalm 3...
What’s going on in Psalm 3?
This Psalm begins with a note of context: “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.” David wrote this prayer to the Lord while under an incredible attack on his kingship in the land of Israel. There is far too deep a plot to explain here, but the story (see 2 Samuel 13-19) is well worth the read and gives us a great perspective on Psalm 3. We see David’s abdication as a father, the rape of his daughter Tamar at the hands of her half brother, followed by David’s son Absolom’s fury over the event, and the drama that ensues as David flees Jerusalem from Absolom’s hostile takeover of the country.
At this time, despite his fear, conviction, and shame, David unwaveringly trusts in God. As he’s leaving town, people are throwing rocks and dirt, cursing him saying, “there is no salvation for [him] in God.” David knows that God holds the cards and will deal what he will (2 Samuel 16:5-14). David has a peace in God’s sovereignty. He cries out to the Lord and, freeing him of his anxieties, the Lord allows David to rest in comfort.
David is not our ultimate example
Though David ultimately trusted in God, looking to him as our example is unsufficient—our ultimate example is Jesus, as in all things. Jesus had far greater foes rise against him than David could have imagined. I am reminded of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane praying “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus, living by the Spirit in full submission to the will of the Father, had nothing to fear in what was the most terrifying of human experiences. He was abandoned by everyone. He was wrongfully tried and sentenced to the most gruesome punishment man has conceived. Most importantly, the Father turned his back on the Son and laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). What could be more terrifying? What could be a heavier weight to carry?
Yet, despite his circumstances, Jesus identified deeply with David’s prayer, “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.” In complete trust in His Father, He walked in silence to His death, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7)! All of this was brought upon him not as a result of his actions but out of the Father’s wrath, which Jesus willingly accepted in spite of asking that it be removed.
I wrote about this in my song “One Righteous Man,” inspired by Isaiah 53.
Learning how to be more like Jesus through the Psalms...
My first reaction to this Psalm was: Who are my foes? If I’m really honest with myself I don’t really have any ‘foes’ to speak of. Not in the David-against-Absalom/Nation sense anyway.
There isn’t anything inherently wrong with this approach, but if Christ is the center of the scriptures (John 5:39-40), I have to look deeper. Seeing Christ here allows me to have the perspective that God intended when He inspired David.
David’s trust in God is a calm reminder to us all that true rest and peace only comes from God (Matthew 11:28-30; Ephesians 2:14). We often pour ourselves out in an effort to find comfort in created things, but nothing created ever lasts (Isaiah 40:6-8). In thinking about this, I realized that true worship—living every aspect of our lives in full submission to the Father’s will—is comfort and rest and peace and all things that we most deeply desire.
Looking at Jesus’ example, “The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom” has new meaning (Proverbs 9:10). If you truly fear God you needn't fear anything or anyone else. God is sovereign over all and with complete trust in Him, fear of created things no longer exists. Wisdom is where the fear of the Lord begins and the fear of creation ends.
Father,
Thank you for Your salvation and blessing! Thank you for Your love and steadfastness! Thank you for Your wisdom, which transcends human understanding!
Help me to not fear man and seek comfort in created things. Help me to seek You in all things. Allow this to affect my heart so deeply that I would even willingly and fearlessly go to my death if Your will required.
Tim Smith’s facebook page
Joel Brown’s facebook page
Discuss this psalm on facebook
“One Righteous Man” written by Joel Brown, performed by Red Letter, taken from the album “Death to Life” available early ’09 from Re:Sound (Resurgence music)
The Resurgence is a movement that resources multiple generations to live for Jesus so that they can effectively reach their cities with the Gospel by staying culturally accessible and Biblically faithful.
