New Worship Internet Community Launches — Join The Conversation At theworshipcommunity.com!

Recently I told you about theworshipcommunity.com forums, an internet message board for worship leaders, ministers of music, church planters, sound board operators, pastors, theologians and anyone interested in Christian worship and the worship arts.  Over 1000 people have already signed up for the forum, where you can jump in conversations or start your own on everything from your Sunday set list to equipment choices, songwriting, team-building, dealing with conflicts between worship leaders and pastors, and more, sharing experiences, insights and struggles with worshipers from around the world.

Now, the full site is operational — not just the forums, but an online magazine with frequently updated articles falling under the general headings of Reviews, Technology & Media, Worship Arts, and Worship Leadership.  Pastors, lay ministers and fervent worshipers of various denominations, traditions, networks and geographical locations are all coming together to share what God is doing in the midsts of their congregations and to learn from one another.

I’m honored to be one of the first columnists at this new site — check out my article, Becoming a Worship Songwriter: Let’s Get Started.  Then browse through articles from some great leaders whose blogs I follow, most of whom you can find on my public RSS Reader page, netvibes.com/bobbygilles. 

That’s actually the most appealing thing about this site: this is a grass roots effort, a collaboration of worship leaders from small, medium and large churches, serving faithfully in their local contexts — leaders like the site’s founder, St. Simons Community Church Worship Director Fred McKinnon, Orangeville Baptist Church Director of Worship Chris Vacher (a Canadian, eh), Music Director Joel Klampert of Lifepath Church (a Charismatic Episcopalian Church in Rhode Island), worship leader and songwriter Mandy Thompson of Massachusetts, Worship Pastor Billy Chia of the Huntsville, Alabama United Methodist fellowship’s Chase Valley Church, and recording artist/ songwriter Shannon Lewis of Georgia.

Check out theworshipcommunity.com.  Read some of the articles, visit the boards.  Ask some of your fellow worship leaders what they think of various worship planning software packages, or the latest Chris Tomlin song, or how they arrange classic hymns.  Who knows what you might be able to learn or to share with others?