03/21/10: Logan's Worship Blog

Each week, this blog includes:

I. Songs for the 1050 service at the heights

II. Stories behind those songs

III. Scriptures for those songs

I. Set List

Sing Sing Sing (Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Daniel Carson, Travis Nunn, Matt Gilder)

When Heaven Came Down (Logan Walter)

Our God (Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman)

How He Loves (John Mark McMillan)

You are Good (Logan Walter)

II. Song Stories

1. Sing Sing Sing - We worship God in many ways, but the most re-iterated command in the bible is to "sing." I love reminding the congregation about the scriptural importance of singing as we begin the service with this song. Plus, it rocks. And it is Brian Patterson's (guitar/keys for Dutton) favorite worship song of all time. Check out what Chris Tomlin had to say about the collaborative writing process for this song: "Sing Sing Sing Song Story"

2. When Heaven Came Down - This is slowly becoming my favorite song from our "All Things Fade" album, not because of the melody, the instrumentation, the chords, or even the lyrics, but because of the way the Holy Spirit moves as we play this song at The Heights and around the country. This past weekend we played in Washington DC (click here for a video), and the response to this song was overwhelming. I was especially touched by these words in an anonymous letter I received:

"One of the reasons I was broken this weekend was your song, 'When Heaven Came Down.' Last night I just started crying during that song because for the first time in a few years I finally felt God and His presence. I just wanted to let you know how much you did for me by playing that song."

Since playing in DC, I have received several messages from students who said that "When Heaven Came Down" moved them to tears. This confused me, as I've always thought it was a joyous and uplifting song. Then I realized that it wasn't the song causing this reaction; it was the cross. Our time in DC was spent with speakers Dawson McCallister and Mark Matlock, who took the students on "a walk with Christ to the cross." The teaching was intense, scriptural, and focussed entirely upon the Passion story. By the time we got up on stage to play "When Heaven Came Down," the congregation was ready to surrender everything before the cross and release their emotions of gratitude and joy in a time of corporate worship. The teaching of the cross made room for the Spirit to move!

3. Our God - It's amazing what is happening at Passion City Church in Atlanta, GA and I am so blessed to hear all about it from my good friend Daniel, who plays guitar for Chris Tomlin. For those of you who don't know, Louie Giglio is pastoring a church with some worship leaders you may know: Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels...yeah, pretty awesome. From this core group of church members, a songwriting group has formed, including Louie, Matt, Christy and her husband Nathan, Chris Tomlin and his bandmates Jesse Reeves & Daniel Carson, to name a few. These writing sessions are producing some amazing songs, and this is one of them. If you haven't bought the Passion: Awakening album yet, do it! We'll be playing more songs from this album in the months to come!

4. How He Loves - This song has an amazing story behind it, which I cannot find anywhere on the internet. Someone must have removed the video? I am going to find it and post it next time we play this song, but for now, you should watch Crowder's amazing How He Loves Music Video

5. You are Good - I went to high school and college in the Waco area, and I've come home for a couple days to watch my Baylor Bears advance to the sweet sixteen. Sic em! Right now I'm sitting on my parent's couch, where I wrote "You are Good" late one night in December of '08. I haven't thought about this until now, but I think there's something to be said about "where" a song is written. I love my Duplex in Dallas, but the clubs nearby are allowed to blast hip-hop music until 2am every night, so "late night" song inspiration about God's goodness is unlikely. In fact, it's a reminder of how difficult it is to separate ourselves from the noise of life and allow room for the Holy Spirit to speak.

I have no trouble finding space at my parent's house, on 2.5 acres out in the country, where even the nearby houses are separated by dozens of trees. So, one interpretation of this song could be: "God, You feel so close (when I am listening to Your Spirit) and then so far away (when I fail to block out the noise of life), still you are worthy of my highest praise (and Your worth is impressing upon me right now, out here in the country, on this couch, where i am writing this song), for You remain unshaken (whether i am out in the country or trying to fall asleep to hip-hop music, your goodness is steadily infinite)."

III. Song Scriptures

1. Sing Sing Sing- Colossians 3:16

16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

2. When Heaven Came Down- 1 Timothy 3:16

16Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:
He appeared in a body,
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory.

3. Our God- 2 Chronicles 2:5-6

5 "The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods. 6 But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him?

4. How He Loves- Psalm 36:7

7 How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

5. You are Good- Psalm 31:19

19 How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.