5 Free Worship Chord Sheets Available Now!

The 8 chords are G, C D, Em, A, Am, Bm, F#m and you can play so many great songs now without using a barre chords.  And you  don’t have to search the internet for hours through poorly made chord charts.  I have easy accurate chord charts and great advice to get you playing right away. 

Join my new E-Newsletter and get started with 5 Free chord charts from WorshiptheKing.com

>Free guitar tips from Eric
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Now available! 100 great songs with easy chords for worship

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Music helps tell the greatest story at Christmas

 

Melodies that will never grow old and ring out over hundreds of years of history remind us of a King that was born to save humanity.  And what a privilage that we share in singing them and playing them on modern instruments every year.  Before I gave my heart to Christ at age 17, I attended Christmas services, opened presents and was, like most, wrapped up in the idea of getting great stuff for Christmas.  That is all good, but I have a fresh perspective on this whole story now.  I actually struggle every Christmas when our whole society cranks up for sales and shopping and get togethers because I feel like we are missing one of the most important elements of Christmas…. a relationship with Jesus.  A real personal realationship that makes us understand the story of Christmas in a clear way.  This year, when you hear that story conveyed through music and singing and in every other way, remember Christ.  Stop and reflect on how blessed we are to have been rescued by Him and set free to understand God in a personal way.  Sing some of your favoirte Christmas songs, play them on guitar, use them for worship and remember the story.  If you need easy to play Christmas songs, you can get many of them from my new songbook.    

2 Free Christmas Song Sheets

Christmas is approaching fast….

It is easy to play your favorite Christmas songs!

If you have been using my method then you know that you can play any of your favorite Christmas hymns and songs with EASY chords.  No more switching every beat and playing those impossible chords……

Download 2 Free Christmas songs now!

1. Joy to the World

2. Silent Night

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Silent Night Strum Along Video

Joy to the World Strum Along Video

These charts are from the NEW 8chords100songs Worship Songbook!

Click Here to order now!

Play and Save this Christmas! Get this new exciting bundle!

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5 Tips for electric guitar in the worship band

Get the right gear first!

For about 2 years I have been leading worship from the ELECTRIC guitar!  Deffinely a challenge and something that has taken a long time to get the hang of during a worship service.  Here are my top 5 tips for getting started with it.

Tip #1

If you are new at the approach of leading worship from electric guitar, be sure to have a strong accoustic player in the band with you and get the right gear.  Click here for Eric’s top 5 tips for electric guitar worship leading!

Tip #2

Get the right guitar.  Make sure it stays in tune.  Make sure it is a good quality and can produce the right tone for worship.   I use a Fender Mexican Strat with 3 single coil pickups.

Tip #3

Get the right tone…. This is huge and you can work for years tweeking it so be patient and be dilligent.   I currently use the Pod Live X3 Pedal. Very versitle though sometimes hard to set up.

Tip #4

Get the right monitor system.  I found that stereo floor wedges worked great for this.  I sent my electric through one and the other guitar player through the other.  This gave great seperation and allowed me to really hear what was going on.  I play with a band with 2 electric guitars so this is really important.   I love the Aviom system…. it is the best thing that has ever happened to me concering sound system technology…. more about that later.

Tip #5

Once you are all set up and ready to play the electric guitar for worship, be sure you don’t melt anyones face off (except for maybe yours).  Work with the band, your tones, your sound team to get the best blend for your instrument in the worship setting.  You are going to have to change the way you strum, pick and overall how you play the guitar to make this work.

I switched to electric in the beginning because many of the players at my church were unable to play the lead parts and my backgroud as a lead guitar player for my previous bands gave me the edge for playing the new electric parts.

Check out the new arrangement of the song “Mighty is the Power of the Cross Video Click Here”

More on techniqes for electric guitar will follow in my upcoming blogs and videos.  Watch some of my videos on youtube to get the feel for how I use the electric guitar in worship.

I sing and I am renewed… Finding God’s healing through worship.

Sometimes being with friends and having a great time is just what you need to get out of a bad

Renew me God.

mood or just have a better day. I find that it is very important to have Christian fellowship with others and to be encouraged in my faith daily. It is similar with God but more intimate and more life changing. I have noticed that leading worship and pouring out those familiar worship words sometimes penetrates my heart in a deep way. I can really feel that God is changing me, healing me, speaking truth back to me. In fact, the Bible says that he dances over us. It is as if our worship time is just a time for friendship between us and our God.  Being with God like this in worship time brings true renewal to our lives.

I have been leading worship for many years at my home church weekly and I have always had to fight to stay renewed.  Things in life and in ministy tend to reach down in your heart and drag the peace right out of you.  Many times we just go on “knowing” but have a hard time “feeling” the peace of God deep down.  But when we sing and worship, we are opening our heart to God, calling on Him, being built up by Him.  Do you feel the strain?  I recently sang the song You Are Good for a congregation in Kentucky and the words rang out in my heart…. “my life depends on you…. you restore me…. You alone God can forgive and heal my heart….   You are Good.”

As a worshiper, a minister, a guitar player, a true Christian… being rooted in Christ and being renewed by Him is the only way to sustain peace in this life and to be effective in our ministry and in our day-to-day living.  Christ gives us the strength and clarifies the purpose for our songs and our ministry and He will always renew us when we spend time with Him.

Reflect on this passage.

Isaiah 40:30-31 (The Message)

For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.

Isaiah 40:30-31 (King James Version)

³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Our music rises up to God ears.

When I became a Christian at age 17, I threw out every secular CD I had.  I was listening to all kinds of music that was not good for me.  I began to learn about God and why it was better to sing for Him.  Before I met Christ, I was filled with hate and despair in life.  I guess everything seems so important when you are a teenager but I was fueling the fire of negative living with music from Metallica and Pantera and other God hating music.  When I was rescued, I turned away from that.  I threw it out of my life.  As a musician, I eperience a very moving emotion when I hear and play music.  Why give my allegiance to any other than God?   Worship music and Christian music lifts the soul and confirms our faith.  I do listen to some secular music and I appreciate all music, but I try to keep the worship tunes going and keep my heart right.  I do not like to listen to music that strays away from what the Bible teaches.  You can tell, as a worship leader and church musician, that you are called to a higher calling.  The music is lifted up from us and rises to God’s ears.  He hears our music and our praise and it defines a relationship between us.  It is so much bettern now.  So, I take it seriously and I rejoice in this God-given gift of music and the opportunity to use it for Him.  I know that I would be lost and hopeless without the saving grace that was poured out on me.  Now, my songs and my meditation must give glory to God.  It is a higher calling with a great reward.   I do listen to secular music and have many infuluences from different great musicians but now I know where it is all coming from and who it is really for.

Playing Hymns on Guitar with Ease!

I know that many of you are called upon to play hymns on the guitar and the hymns were not really written for our instrument.  The arrangements in the hymnal do not have chords and many of the hymn

Make hymns easy to play.

arrangements are in hard to play keys with chord changes every measure.  One way that I have been successful at playing the hymns on guitar is to make the arrangement guitar friendly by playing them in the best keys for the guitar like C, G, or D.  Next, I simplify the hymn by dropping all the chords that are not necessary.  Many of the hymns can be played with 3-4 simple chords.

Here is my 1st secret…..

Take the hymnal to a copy machine and make a copy of the hymnal arrangement.  Blow it up as much as you can to get it as big as you can on a single page.

Then, find the best key for you to sing the hymn.  Try to stick with G and D and maybe the key of C.  Use your capo if you need to.

Next, sing the hymn while playing the most basic progression and take a marker or a sharpie and write in the chord changes on the hymnal sheet.  You are not going to be reading the music!  You are going to focus on the simple guitar accompaniment.

If you are playing with a piano player and are forced to play in the same key that it is written for example Eb or Bb.  (those are unfrinedly guitar keys)  Then you need to pick a good guitar key and devise a capo plan.  In no case do I suggest playing in the keys of Eb or Bb on the guitar.  Avoid it.

Now you have a hymn chart with all of the correct words and an easy guitar chord arrangement.

The new 8chords100song Songbook contains many of the popular hymns with easy chords in the keys of G or D.  This is also a great way to play the hymns if you are not comfortable yet with writing in your own chords.  Get the songbook today!

Keep an eye on the blog and the store for more resources for learning to write your own chord charts in the hymnal!  It does not have to be hard!

God knows where we are going

God knows where we are going.

And the journey is blessed by God.

I sometimes don’t know exactly where I am headed and why I am at a certain place…. in ministry, in family life and in many of the aspects of a true Christian life.  But when I cry out for God, when I realize that it is all because of Him, I get a sense of direction and He leads the way.  Where is your musical journey headed?

I know that in ministry and while pursuing your dreams in music, the road can sometimes be foggy and the light seems to be shining at the end of a 1 million mile tunnel that you will never get to the end of.  BUT I also realize that through the journey we find out who we really are and who God really wants us to be.  What do people say about you?  Where is the fruit of what you are doing?  Are you focused on making music with excellence and giving all of your talents to God without holding anything back?  I know that I have been challenged with these questions over and over again in music ministry.  I have to continuously remember that I am nothing without what Christ did for me.  I walk out on that stage to sing praises and it all hits me.  I have no right to be there.  Nothing I did can make all the wrongs of my sin go away.  BUT Christ has saved me and picked me up. It is by the blood of Christ that all my sins are washed away.   So now when I sing out a song on praise it comes from a grateful heart.  I really believe that He is worthy and I am just singing to give back my love to him, my true appreciation to my saving God.   Remember where you came from.  Don’t let that pass you by.  Because I always try to keep that in my mind.  I know that I would never be where I am without the love of Christ.  I think this is what really fuels my worship and passion for music and for making music for the creator.

If you are leading worship or just learning, take a moment and remember where you were 1 year, 2 years, 5 years ago.   The journey you have traveled has been blessed by God and He always knows where you are.  I know that is true when I look back.  Looking back is what gives me the assurance that I can fully trust him as I move forward.

The words of this hymn say it all in such a beautiful way:

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
And to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Clearcreek Band October 4th worship set

Clearcreek Band October 4th worship set

2 Electric Guitar
Bass and Drums
Male Lead Vocal with 1 Female Vocal

1. Counting on God Key of G
2. Everlasting God Key of A

Baptism Here

Hosanna by Paul Baloche key of D
Jesus Paid it All Modern Hymn Arrangement

Altar Songs

Mighty to Save by Hillsong in the Key of G

God of All Splendor in the Key of C

Worship Leader Discussions

While attending a Seminar4Worship, they had a question and answer panel with some of the leading worship leaders and teachers in the nation.  Below is an overview of the session as I remember it.  There are some great nuggets in this session for worship leaders, new musicians and worship teams.  When I could remember who specifically said something, I noted their names.  These are worship leaders and teachers that are leading the modern worship movement through their local church.  The face the same issues as every other worship leader in terms of team building, set lists, burn out and being an authentic Christ follower and worshiper.

Worship leaders on the panel are: 
Mia Fields – Hillsong Worship Leader
Ross Parsley – Desperation Band and New Life Worship Band
Dr. Pete Sanchez – Worship Leader, author of the song “I Exalt Thee”
Nate and Eric – Worship leaders from Lakeview Church (Integrity)
Joel Auge – Worship Leader (Integrity)

What makes a good worship leader?
Pete Sanchez:  Chemistry and FAITHFULNESS and ability to see that it’s not all about me.

Clothe yourself with humility.  If you do not humble yourself, God will.
You have to choose to be humble.  Pride sneaks in on you.

Ross Parsley:  Being connected to a church is the essence of a good worship leader.

Ross Parsley: Relationships in Church build a foundational character that is needed in every Christian and in every worship leader.

Mia Fields: Do things for other people.  Keep PEOPLE in focus.

There are two main elements… People and God

Be selfless… like Christ.

Church ministry is a place where people get too much pride.

Mia Fields: Have to teach to be a servant.  Don’t give too much too quick to any one person. Make even the talented musicians be roadies or set up the stage.  Teaching and building within your team an environment for servant leadership. In fact, even some of the best young Hillsong musicians are called up to go on tour with Unites and be roadies their first year.  They may lead worship one night, but the rest of the time they work the merchandise table and set up the gear.

Know (really KNOW) those who labor among you.
Lay hold on no man suddenly.  Take time to build relationships and team and responsibility within your team.

Having a hard time finding musicians:

Pete Sanchez: God resources what he starts?
It is the QUALITY not the QUANTITY of musicians in your church that counts.

Be INTENTIONAL about GROWING MUSICIAN in your church.

Faith sees something that can be… not what is. So, if you don’t have a drummer yet, put an empty drum set on the platform.  Someone will come.

Get people involved:

Ross Parsley:  How do you get better at your craft?
The answer is PRACTICE… WRONG!
You get better by EVALUATION and PRACTICE.
A musician with no direction and evaluation will practice wrong, learn bad habbits and never reach their full potential.

Discipleship and Evaluation in relations happens only by permission.

You should ask your team for permission to evaluate and disciple them in certain appropriate areas.

Speaking the TRUTH in LOVE – Ephesians 4:15

“I need your permission to be critical, so that we can grow and dig deeper”

Mia Fields:  After an audition or an evaluation, it is easier to tell them NO than to say nothing at all.

Ross Parsley: No surprises in the process for auditions and involvement into the ministry.  Make clear guidelines and follow them.

How to avoid BURN OUT!

It is a fact that many worship leaders and musicians will face the dreaded burn out.  It is a serious problem and it is a place where the devil wants you to operate from.  He wants you to feel discouraged and be ineffective in leading worship.  Here are some tips for avoiding this and for putting up defenses against burn out.

One worship leader in the audience said, “I am tired, depressed and don’t know how what I am doing is even making a difference.  I feel like quitting.”

Mia Fields: Have a Mary and Martha service mentality:

Your Mary service will be one in which you sit in service and are fed and are able to worship without distraction.
Your Martha service will be one in which you serve (outside of your up front music position). For example:  help in the nursery, run sound, be stage manager or light tech for the day.  But do something that isn’t about using your direct music gift UP FRONT!

Book for recommended reading: The Rest of God by mark Buchnan

Pete Sanchez: At one point in my ministry when I was tired and ready to quit I heard a word from God… “the reason you can’t do everything is because you can’t do everything.”

Ross Parsley: We are not god at obeying the Sabbath.  The Sabbath is about rest and play and being who you are.  You need to learn how to obey the Sabbath in your soul.

The mentality “if I don’t then IT won’t” is a bad place to be.

Each one of is replaceable in just seconds.

You need to find a place of rest where you don’t feel the pressure.  God loves his people more than you do.  He is going to make a way for them to meet with him.

Set Lists:  How to prepare them and how to navigate them.

Acts 2:42 – We come to worship to pray to hear the word in a believers meeting.

Myth busted: The song set does not have to match the sermon
Ross Parsley:  Keys to a good set list is TRANSITION!   Practice Tops and Tails.

Awkward ( or venerable) moments are good in worship but not 5 awkward moments in every set.

Mia Fields:  We do set lists in seasons.  Not just trying to fit songs with sermons but with a season in our church.  The band learns a set of songs and can play any song in that set at  any time when called upon.  This gives us flexibility to be spontaneous and use a song if it fits with the sermon.

TESNION AND RELEASE

Ross Parsley:  Building tension and release in your songs and in your set.   Every great set list has this. Begin to plan the journey in the tension and release.

Within a 20-30 min set, find the tension and release.  It is that 1 moment that people just decide to jump on the train or not.  You want that moment to happen as early as possible.

Take them from were they are to where they can be… in worship.

Shout to the Lord is a great example of a song with Tension and Release.  That section right after the verse that climbs to the chorus creates tension and then the resolution and open up to the chorus is the release.

Tension:  let everything, all that I do, never cease to worship you………  Shout (release)

Mia Fields: When you find those moments (when people begin to connect with God) DO NOT BE AFRAID to STAY there for a little while.

Leave SPACES to allow people to connect with God.

What is it all about?  THE PEOPLE THE PEOPLE THE PEOPLE

Great resource for teaching you worship team about worship and going deeper is from Ross Parsley from New Life Worship Church.   Conversations of Biblical Worship.  DVD Series.

Noted and Written by Eric Michael Roberts from discussion pannel.  October 17, 2008

Feel free to post your comments!