BETTER BY SUNDAY
[ TRAIN WRECKS IN WORSHIP | Paul Herman ]
LEDGER
Ledger (EP)
What happens when our best-laid plans go Keyboard players, you know that when you
totally off the rails? activate a loop sound on a keyboard, it doesn’t
just stop once you lift your fingers off the keys.
So,
what
is
your
biggest
train
wreck
worship story?
It keeps going. And it sure did that morning. I
finally remember that the way to stop it is to
change the sound settings. So I changed back
Mine happened a couple years ago, playing to my nice, safe piano pad sound. Whew.
keyboards at a church that’s not my regular Nightmare over. But damage done.
church, but I typically fill in once a month.
I’m well connected with one of their worship Then I become aware of what else was
leaders, but I happened to be playing with a happening on stage, and later, when we
different worship leader that morning. Now could all laugh about it, it’s just as funny.
that I think about it, I haven’t played with that Maybe more.
worship leader since. Hmm.
Once the beat kicked in, the worship leader
Skillet’s been on an invincible roll lately, Here’s what happened. The opening set went whirls around to the drummer, giving him the
and this solo debut EP from drummer Jen great. We finished up, and I set my in-ear “stare-of-death,” wondering if he’s lost his
Ledger is no exception. It’s infectious, high- monitors down on the keyboard like I usually mind and why on earth is he starting this tender
energy guitar pop in the spirit of Paramore. do. Somehow, I must’ve hit a wayward button song so aggressively? The drummer panics,
Skillet vocalist John Cooper lends a voice in a bank of keyboard sounds that I didn’t wondering if he’s activated some unknown
on “Warrior.” Titles like that one, “Bold,” and even know existed. demon in his metronome/click track/beat box
thing that he’s responsible for. The rest of the
“I’m Not Dead Yet” show this album to revel
in the same sense of progress and triumph as The message was wonderful, and of course team has no idea what just happened. So it
Skillet’s recent album. Piano ballad “Ruins” is it built up to this tender moment that was actually took everyone quite a while to realize
the main exception, a song of lament: “You’ll supposed to segue perfectly into this equally it was really my fault.
find me in the wreckage of a love so severe, tender ending song. I thought I’d left the and it’s clear I don’t know what I’m doing.” keyboard settings on my typical piano/pad I wonder if sometimes God allows our plans to
Explicit spiritual references are muted (“My sound that I use 90% of the time, so when I go awry, to remind us Who’s really in charge.
Enemy is watching me bleed” and the like), came back up, and re-wired myself with my To remind us Who’s really responsible for
in keeping with the mainstream emphasis. in-ear monitors, I didn’t bother to look down doing the inner work in someone’s soul. Yes,
On a tight EP like this, choosing a favorite at the keyboard LED screen. I just hit the our music touches those places, but it’s God’s
song becomes difficult, but for today at least, opening “C” chord, expecting that nice, warm Spirit that truly does the work that endures.
I’ll go with the closing track “Iconic,” a song emotional sound that would of course begin to of praise. melt the congregation’s collective hearts.
Despite my bumbling, worship happened that
morning. God smiled on us. I think He also
What came out was the loudest, gnarliest, smiled with us and at us. And we all lived to
nastiest, most club-ready hip-hop beat I’ve worship another day.
ever heard.
Robert Berman
Robert is a Sunday School teacher, music nerd,
and acoustic guitar enthusiast. He lives in rural
Tennessee with his wife and three boys.
Panicked, I look down at the LED screen,
and see the name of this audio nightmare:
HOP IT. Arrrrgh!
May 2018
Paul Herman
Songwriter, Worship Leader,
Creator. Vancouver, WA
WorshipMusician.com
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