OWN

For many years...since I first became a Christian...I have wanted to learn as much as I could from other Christian musicians, songwriters and worship leaders.  I love going to conferences, concerts, seminars...anything to glean some of the knowledge that those around me, near or far, can share with me so the offering that I bring to the Lord is the best that I can do.  And after talking with many of my friends and acquaintances, I find that I am not alone.  I have always felt that as people we only grow if we are constantly learning.  If we come to a place where we think we know it all, or that we have "arrived" we often stop growing altogether....or even move backwards. 

Musicians and worshipers often struggle in many ways.  I mean, let's face it...we're doing the job that Lucifer used to do.  And he's not so happy with that.  We become wrapped up in our egos without even knowing it.  We sometimes bring an attitude that "we are the poo" to our worship teams and band rehearsals and then wonder why things don't turn out so great.  We become big-headed and think we're "too good to play with inferior players/singers".  Or we think that our simplistic gift isn't good enough to offer to the Lord.  As we venture onto the worship platform, we sometimes find ourselves feeling like we are competing for a position, that we aren't accepted, that we aren't good enough.  Some get very nervous...some are so nervous that they never try it at all.  Some churches cannot offer worship training...or they have a band full of self-taught musicians....or they have a band full of professional musicians...or they have a choir...or they just put you on the team every Sunday until you are burnt out and you leave.

Who understands these difficulties?  Who has been through what you've been through as a worshiper?  OTHER WORSHIPERS!

In much the same way that the church creates small groups to encourage intimacy among the believers, we as worship leaders should also lift one another up...and raise up other worship leaders!  We know that when we live in unity with each other, the Lord is glorified. Unity should not just be happening inside the walls of OUR church, friends!  That is what OWN was started for.  It's not just for one church denomination, but the Christian Church community-wide.

What if the worship leaders in our community got together...jammed together...shared new worship songs...encouraged each other in the Lord...What if people who WANT to help with worship in their church but have no experience had a safe place outside of Sunday morning to not only exercise their giftings, but learn from others who have been leading worship for many years?  Wouldn't it be great to glean new understanding from other worship leaders and musicians...to break bread over the Word together in a relaxed environment?  And even to minister to the less fortunate in the process of all those things?

So How About This "OWN"...What Is It?

Simply put, OWN is a network of Christian Musicians, Worshipers, and Worship Leaders who learn from and support each other by using their gifts together, sharing the Word, putting ministry into practice, and taking what they've learned back to their home churches.  It's about learning to submit to the leadership of our own churches and pastors while keeping our creativity flowing.  It's about learning what God has planned for us and helping that plan come to fruition so we can be the BEST we can be for God's glory and for our home churches.

OWN is fluid right now...open and waiting to take shape.  Just a handful of musicians gather at The Hope Center (1950 Kitrick Ave Bldg A, Oroville, CA) while meals are served to the homeless & needy.  We play worship songs as people eat, and invite the Lord's Presence into their everyday lives.    We share songs, and tag-team as the meal progresses...introducing "a song you might not have heard" to the other musicians.   And as the songs catch on, we usually end up having a "worship jam" time where God's Presence is evident and people's lives are touched in the process.  Worshipers are already learning new techniques from each other, and some are even taking lessons from other players to improve their craft.  And as OWN grows, we will allow God to guide us into new horizons.

It's The Oroville Worshipers Network...OWN.   Who's In?