that type of musician to have time to learn the
material. Any time I’m able to give feedback
to worship leaders at our church or any other
church, I tell them that. If their musicians are
volunteering, make sure to give them the
material far enough in advance that they can
actually learn it (laughs).
[WM] We all have dreams, and being able to
play one’s favorite instrument to packed venues
is one of the things that many people aspire to
when they first start playing. Did you?
[Daniel] Of course. To be honest, even after
touring full-time for a couple of decades, it
never entered my mind that it could be like
this. After a Super Bowl or something, they
interviewed the winning quarterback and asked
him if it was just like in his dreams, and his
answer was, “I never dreamed this far.” I kind
of feel that way about what we’ve gotten to do
professionally, touring, making records, and
playing, I never dreamed it would be anything
like this. I definitely wanted to play music and I
loved leading worship at my church and playing
at youth camps. But, that was a different time in
Worship music. It wasn’t like a touring ‘career
path’ the way it would be now, things have
changed. I’m definitely grateful for it, but I never
dreamed it would be like this.
[WM] ‘Living the dream’ of being a professional
musician is frequently accompanied by praise,
which in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. But as
we receive praise, we all face the temptation have these ministries where a camp pastor or moment it can be hard to be like, “I don’t want
of letting the praise ruminate inwards rather Chris are leading people in a moment towards to bring attention to myself, but I also don’t
than point upwards, and that can become a an altar call or ministry moment. In those times want to simply do nothing. I want to play my
problem. Who were some of the people who it’s a tricky balance between staying out of the role, play my part, and help lead.” Not just to
spoke into your life about this kind of stuff, and way, but also playing a role. I think that is kind use his name because it’s an easy example,
what did they say that impacted you most? of a weird balance, sometimes the compliment but Chris always encouraged me in that way. I
I would get as a guitar player was, “Man, I love was a young guy and I was constantly looking
[Daniel] Early on, we were playing a lot of the way you stay out of the way for God to down at my toes. I don’t know if I was insecure,
youth camps playing with Chris, and we would move!” or something like that. I always thought scared, or so fixated on what I was playing that
be paired up with a youth pastor or traveling it was funny because as a guitar player staying I just didn’t think about the people out there,
speaker. A lot of those guys now are either out of the way is not why you pick up the guitar Eventually he pulled me aside and said, “Hey,
pastors at their own churches or well-known (laughs)! I also understood that what they were it’s okay to look out at the people we’re leading
communicators. There was a balance between, trying to say was, “Hey, you know your role.” I – we’re leading worship. You can look at them,
“I want to do the best job I can…” and wanting think it is a tricky one because we all have egos you can smile, you can engage them, you do
to come up with a cool guitar thing, play my new and insecurities as musicians. So when you’re not just have to stare at your feet the whole time
pedal and be loud! At the same time, we would trying to point people toward God in a worship (laughs).” I think that was a big one as well.
January 2019
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