Transcript
Danny Price: Hey everyone, welcome to Table Talk Discussions. This is episode, I think, 55. This is a different episode, so we're trying something new. This is a new... Thought that. I had.
Danny Price: And I've had it for a while, but I've just... recently introduced it to Sarah. So we're going to have Sarah Holland, who's our worship pastor or worship director, worship leader. What's your official title, Sarah?
Sara: I'm a worship director.
Danny Price: Worship director at Mountain View. um And she is going to just introduce herself. I figured it'd be cool just to start. taking some of the staff from Mountain View and... giving them a little interview um obviously we've heard from tony and shane um probably the most but then you know we have a lot of staff here at Mountain View. I thought it'd be cool just to get to hear from them. So I wanted to hear from her and just her story, her journey.
Danny Price: um what she does a lot of you guys see her obviously on sunday you know on main stage But then there's all this work that goes into being. a a worship director that's unseen so it i thought it'd be really cool to have her just explain that explain what she does, and then...
Danny Price: Something that... um I thought have would have, you know, it's it's been on my heart for a long time is just kind of the heart of worship and what it means. And a lot of the times there's song lyrics that we're singing. that aren't necessarily like it's We're singing it out loud. We don't really know what we're saying. We're just like kind of saying whatever's on the screen.
Danny Price: and sarah actually puts a lot of work into choosing songs and there's some really cool theology behind some of those songs that we choose so i thought we could go through you know just the last ones that we did this sunday and then maybe in the future we can go through some more um we have a lot of songs we pull from but i thought it'd be cool just to give sarah kind of a platform to be able to just describe like what's on her heart with these songs and what's happening behind the scenes when she's picking them and why these songs are important that we're singing and what what the lyrics mean so Let's kick into it.
Danny Price: Are you excited, Sarah? Are you nervous? What's going on?
Sara: Let's do it. I've never been on a podcast. So.
Danny Price: stuff
Sara: And I like.
Danny Price: very intimid It's very intimidating. We have a lot of listeners.
Sara: It is.
Danny Price: There's a lot so there's a lot going on here. it's There's three three three people listening to you right now.
Sara: I know. I could get cancelled after this.
Danny Price: you could get canceled.
Sara: I could lose my job.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: i'm just kidding
Danny Price: It all depends what you say. You have the power right here and now.
Sara: No, I'm excited.
Danny Price: Um... So first of all, who are you? What's your backstory? Just tell me about like. your little bit of like a like condensed version of your life story. Where'd you grow up?
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: Who are you?
Sara: Absolutely.
Danny Price: All that stuff.
Sara: Well, my name is Sarah. As Danny said. um I grew up here in Hebrew City, Utah, went to high school here, graduated. um moved down to the valley for a little bit. I was going to school for nursing.
Sara: and then Um.
Danny Price: That's right.
Sara: I got offered an internship at MVF Church, and that brought me back to the Valley. I never thought I would be doing what I'm doing, but... God has just been working in crazy ways.
Sara: Um. I've been working here at the church for, I think... I think it was three years this last May.
Danny Price: That sounds right.
Sara: Which is crazy. I can't believe it's almost been four.
Danny Price: That's crazy.
Sara: I feel like the last few years have flown by but
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: um
Danny Price: That was perfect.
Sara: I don't know. I kind of just like zipped through that so fast.
Danny Price: No, that was that was that that that was perfect.
Sara: me
Danny Price: um Describe a little bit of that internship and like starting process. so What was the internship for? Was it for worship or what was what was the internship?
Sara: So it was for worship and production. But...
Danny Price: That's right.
Sara: The whole summer, I pretty much was just Patrick's intern. If you guys don't know Patrick, he's our production and media guy. he does He's awesome. He does all the behind the scenes stuff. So I pretty much worked with him all summer.
Danny Price: Mm -hmm
Sara: I learned. Honestly so many different things. I don't even remember all of them now, but
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: We spent a lot of time like filming together, editing things. He taught me how to make slides, how to do the lights, how to do sound. um
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: I kind of was just like a mini Patrick for the summer. Which was awesome.
Danny Price: Yeah, shut't to shut up, Patrick.
Sara: And then I would. help out with worship here and there. um But I would say my internship was mostly directed. towards production.
Danny Price: Right. And you. Did you do like... I mean, I know obviously you must have played guitar because you had some talent coming in, but did you do any kind of worship or music stuff? When you were younger in high school, I'm trying to remember did you do anything for youth or was this like your first time?
Sara: i mean Honestly, no. I think I did choir in middle school, but it was nothing. too serious.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: And I honestly. like barely played the guitar.
Danny Price: Really? i didn't know that okay
Sara: it was I'm all self -taught, so I'm... Honestly, I consider myself to still be like... an intermediate. maybe even beginner.
Danny Price: Yeah. I don't think that's true at all, but go ahead and say that.
Sara: Pretty basic. but
Danny Price: Go ahead and say that.
Sara: I mean if you saw me playing the same four chords every Sunday you would know.
Danny Price: um
Danny Price: No, it's there's more to there's more to it than than that.
Sara: Just kidding.
Danny Price: um
Sara: and
Danny Price: So getting involved with worship. You did the internship. was there and i don't i'm just asking because i truly don't actually know this was there any like like promise like hey after this internship this might lead into something else or was it just like the plan was just the internship just for you to see if you were interested in that kind of field in general for churches.
Sara: i think it was just to see where my interest was at.
Danny Price: Okay.
Sara: There wasn't anything really promised. Going into it. I had no idea what to expect to be honest like I was going to school for something else
Danny Price: Right.
Sara: I was not planning on going into ministry. It kind of just
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: fell into my lap and I was like, oh.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: And I felt an urge to come back and pursue it. um
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: I had no idea I was going to end up here at all.
Danny Price: It's crazy.
Sara: It was crazy. It was kind of like a...
Danny Price: It's a God thing.
Sara: It was so random. Like once I was done with my internship, I ended up doing like... Um. building management stuff.
Danny Price: Oh.
Sara: So I was working on like building rentals and like renting out different spaces and
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: It was random.
Danny Price: So you...
Sara: So I honestly.
Danny Price: So there was a gap. between the internship and the job.
Sara: Yes.
Danny Price: Okay.
Sara: There was a gap and then I randomly did social media for a couple months like
Danny Price: That's right.
Sara: There's a little of everything.
Danny Price: That's right. Did you ever go back? You didn't go back to nursing at all, did you? You kind of just were done with that.
Sara: No.
Danny Price: nice do you think you would have been do you think that's something that like you would have been i mean i think you would have been good at it what do you do you think that's something that was like a passion of yours are you kind of glad you didn't end up down that path.
Sara: Nope.
Sara: um I think I have a passion to help people.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: Which is awesome because I think I get to do that now with my job.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: but um I can't even realize towards that last semester before I came back home. that this wasn't something I was like super passionate about. enough to like go through all the school and all the money.
Sara: Like it's a... It's a hard gig for sure.
Danny Price: That's a lot.
Sara: And I just. Yeah.
Danny Price: It's a lot.
Sara: Good night. not where we're supposed to be.
Danny Price: Yeah. So you then you got offered the job at Mountain View. When when when did you come on full -time as worship? Director when was that?
Danny Price: Do you remember? I don't remember
Sara: it's a little over two years ago.
Danny Price: Okay.
Sara: I feel like it was like after Easter.
Danny Price: Okay, so so it was spring. Okay, so spring.
Sara: Spring. Yeah.
Danny Price: That's right. It feels like so long ago. That's crazy.
Sara: Eh?
Danny Price: like I feel like that's been a long time.
Sara: is flying by.
Danny Price: so Yeah, that's like kind of my next question. What have you... What have you learned by doing this job? What have you enjoyed the most about this job? Just kind of walk me through. what what that what that's been like because it's you know like i It's gonna be three years or more coming up here soon.
Sara: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I think I've learned so much and I've been humbled.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: so much, especially being younger. Like I don't have it. i don't have experience necessarily leading worship like i kind of just jumped into this
Danny Price: That's hard. Yeah.
Sara: And. Luckily, I've had a lot of people, just a ton of grace for me. and
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: just being able to support me through that. um Wait, what did you ask? What have I learned?
Danny Price: Yeah, like what have you learned? like yeah what what Well, anything. what What has it been like doing this? you were for you you were kind of doing that anyway you were saying that anyways it was perfect
Sara: Yeah, I mean...
Danny Price: Has there been anything that you've learned?
Sara: I think there's been a lot of like testing of my faith and like specifically my heart. um Because I am I'm on a platform. I'm on the stage every Sunday. People are looking at me um And for anyone who's in that position, it's easy to...
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: fall into just... I don't know what the word...
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: i'm looking for is.
Danny Price: Ego. ah
Sara: It's yeah
Danny Price: uh performatism i don't know if that's ah is that a word but
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: Is that a word? Performatism?
Sara: performatism It is it is now.
Danny Price: I don't know if that's a word. I'm going to Google that.
Sara: ah
Danny Price: Anyways, keep going.
Sara: Not that that's something I like fall into all the time, but I think... Like I started on the worship team when I was in high school. And to me, like, I had no idea what I was doing. I was like, oh, we're just singing songs. I'm on this stage. People are looking at me. I need to make sure I look good. like Um, At a young age it was all about me, to be honest with you.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: but i think just over
Danny Price: You mean a young age in this job or a young age like... Like high school Sarah.
Sara: Like high school Sarah.
Danny Price: Got it.
Sara: High school Sarah.
Danny Price: okay
Sara: but I think through this job and I don't know, as I was saying, what did I say before? God's just been doing a lot of work on my heart, I guess.
Danny Price: The end. Being on stage, yeah.
Sara: specifically.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um
Danny Price: that's That's hard. i didn't I've thought about this from like your perspective too. is you're you're the youngest person, I think, on the stage at any given time. right? For the most part, like what, like who, who on the team would be younger than you?
Danny Price: Zach, maybe when he was drumming, Zach Wolf.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: That's about it, right? Maybe ah I can't think of Tony's son's name.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: What's Tony's son's name that drums?
Sara: Luke.
Danny Price: okay Luke. So like Luke and...
Sara: local drum too.
Danny Price: Luke and Zach are like the only younger ones, right, than you?
Sara: Mm hmm.
Danny Price: Anybody else? So like, and I'm thinking like steady worship team members. So you're having to. manage a group of adults that all all arguably have more, potentially more worship worship experience than you if they've been doing it at different churches and they're older.
Danny Price: And they're just older than you in general, so they have more life experience. This is not one of the questions that I had planned on asking you, but... What's that like? Is it hard telling an adult? Hey, stop doing that. Do something differently with it.
Danny Price: Whatever, however you're doing, whatever you're doing, stop that. Do this instead. I want you to do this. Is that hard?
Sara: Yeah. I mean I think when I first started Like I was super timid and I was like, oh I feel bad like I feel like hey Can you please do this but only if you really want to like it's no problem if not But I think now I'm more comfortable.
Sara: being stern with people because it all comes back to the mission like i'm telling you this because i want our worship
Danny Price: Yeah.
Danny Price: Yeah. Hmm.
Sara: to be a distraction -free environment for people to encounter the Lord. And.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: I think that's kind of what I've been saying. these last couple minutes how god has just been shaping my heart um just to the mission of what we're doing it makes it so much easier to tell people
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: like maybe harder uncomfortable things because It's not for me, it's not for anyone else, but it's it's all for him.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Um. I think that's given me strength.
Danny Price: Yeah, that's a good perspective.
Sara: and courage to do that.
Danny Price: Yeah, because that's the defining line. The defining line is not Sarah's preference. I mean, your preference is there maybe, but it's different.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: it's not That's not the the ultimate authority. You're not going off of that.
Sara: Right.
Danny Price: Um, Do you think that's going to carry over to you in other areas of life? Or is this just like a worship only thing? But do you feel like you've gotten more confidence in general, like the rest of your life?
Sara: Yeah I think so.
Danny Price: Because of that?
Sara: I think I've especially just in my leadership.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: Um, I think that's going to trickle into many different aspects of my life like when I become a parent whatever I'm doing, what other jobs I have.
Danny Price: Being stern.
Sara: Being stern, I know how to... No, that's, don't take that away from me.
Danny Price: I'm kidding, I'm kidding
Sara: You know they need them.
Danny Price: Oh. Yeah. so that That is really good. ah What's the... the challenge or what's one of the challenges that you faced and i'm not saying you don't have to you know, i'll go into specific detail if it's like a specific story, but just what are some of the challenges that you that you face being the worship director?
Danny Price: um that you maybe maybe give me just some of like the more recent ones or something that's been on your heart and then maybe something that you didn't it didn't anticipate like something that you're like i never knew that that would be a struggle but it was
Sara: Yeah. Um... A struggle that I didn't think I would deal with, especially when I first started this job is I think just burnout.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: Like we're doing different songs every week, but a lot of it gets repetitive to me
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: And there's definitely been moments where I'm like... Lord, I do not want to sing this song again
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: We've done it so many times. But then I just have to remind myself, like... You know what? God's going to use this. Maybe someone needs to hear. the song Lord I Need You this Sunday morning and I'm just going to trust in that.
Sara: This is my worship to you, God. We're going to do it.
Danny Price: Yeah. No, i I like that
Sara: ah
Danny Price: Huh.
Sara: So I guess maybe like my self preferences coming in
Danny Price: If it was up to you only and it wasn't, and it was just up to Sarah. Completely. What? do you think you would be would you be singing less songs more songs more variety more more hymns more newer like what what what's your preference if it was just based off of your taste
Sara: if it was just based off my taste um I think we would be doing a lot more of the newer songs. more upbeat more fun I love
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: I love being energetic in my worship. um but it's not. And I do recognize that a majority of our congregation is older. So... Guys, I promise I try and throw in a hymn. every now and then. We're doing one this Sunday.
Sara: Um.
Danny Price: Got it. That's funny.
Sara: but for you. You asked what was one unexpected and then...
Danny Price: yeah when i just like the difficulties like what's been a recent difficulty that's been a challenge for you and then like what's been Something that you didn't. foresee. That was a difficulty.
Sara: Yeah. um i think Another difficulty is just they're so... I think we've gone into a dangerous place with worship where it is based off our preferences.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: like i i've had people come up to me and be like hey i just i don't like this song like it really drags here And... Like my immediate response to my brain is like, oh, well, it's actually not about you It's never supposed to have been about our preferences or what we like.
Sara: um
Danny Price: Yeah. Hmm.
Sara: I think sometimes I worry that we fall in, like I think the other week I was mentioning how Um. His nearness to us is not reliant on how we feel
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: And we can't base worship off of our feelings. We can't be like, oh, I don't like this song, so I'm not going to worship.
Danny Price: It's a good thing we're not worshiping you.
Sara: You know, that's like that's never been the point and I think it's hard to get that across to some people
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Oh. Because everyone just has their own preferences.
Danny Price: Do people feel pretty comfortable coming to you and telling you their preferences or do you feel like you're... you're kind of shielded from that and you just hear it from like word of mouth like from other people or do you feel like people come to you directly with their like critiques or their whatever
Sara: oh
Sara: I don't think I get a lot of people coming up to me. I have like a couple specific people. Or maybe people on the worship team.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: they're probably more comfortable sharing their opinions. um But no.
Danny Price: Okay.
Sara: I think I'm really intimidating.
Danny Price: i'm i'm just curious i'm just curious i'm like i don't know like if people just like come up to you and just still tell you
Sara: I'm just kidding No.
Danny Price: um Interesting. Yeah, that's hard, too, because. A lot of times I think we can tie our... preferences. into what's like my preference means that it's right and I want it to be right and I want it to be good and so therefore It's got to be the way I want it to be.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: um Which is interesting. and i I love hymns. kind of one of the one of the people that just like i'm not the one of people that complains to you about this but i just love hymns in general and i'm one of the people that's like i would be very comfortable singing more hymns but i even recognize that
Sara: Yeah. Yeah.
Danny Price: there's certain hymns that have been hard in the past like they were this conversation that we're going through and obviously it's very different because we have a lot more modern music and a lot more like you know There's Spotify on the radio and a lot of easier ways to hear new music than there ever was. But there was still arguments about what was proper.
Danny Price: worship even when like they were introducing hymns and some of the newer hymns people didn't like some of the newer hymns and then when you come into when they started introducing drums or instruments in church that was not the organ or the piano there was I'm not saying there's a right or wrong with any of these.
Danny Price: I'm just saying this has been a common discussion. And it's not something that we're facing that's just in 2026.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: This goes back. forever. Like we've always been having these conversations.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: So. That's interesting Um. as we kind of get i'm kind of just transitioning us as we more into like the songs from this last this last week. I thought it'd be cool. First though, just like, how do you choose?
Danny Price: songs Do you have like oversight from like Shane or someone else that like tells you like you can only pick from these artists or like like what's your process?
Sara: thank
Danny Price: Do you just listen on the radio and go, I mean, I really like that song. That's a worshipful song and we're going to sing it. Is there a difference between... Um, you liking a song and then like what's the process from you liking a song and thinking that it sounds good to then getting it to something that we would sing on sunday
Sara: Yeah, that's a great question. um I think typically when I am picking a newer song The easiest thing for me to do is be like, oh, I really like this song. Let's do it.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: But... I try to be super prayerful about it and ask God, like, hey, what what do your people need to hear? um i'll think about the sermon series we're going through if there's anything i can like tie in with that
Danny Price: Hmm.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: um Yeah, when I'm picking... new songs, I try and pray about it. first and foremost because i I want it to come from God, not from myself.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: And that doesn't happen every time.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Bye. i want that to be my first resort
Danny Price: Do you think there's a difference between...
Sara: um
Danny Price: trying to figure out how to word this. Is there a difference between a... a corporate worship song like that you should sing in church versus just like a jesus focused song that's like almost kind of a worship song, but it's not something that you would necessarily sing in church. Do you think there's a difference?
Danny Price: Or do you think anything that you would hear that's like...
Sara: think so
Danny Price: That's like spiritual. It could be sung at church. like And what would be that what would be like the the criteria for that? do you Do you have any opinion on that? That's a harder question. Sorry.
Sara: That is a harder question. I mean... This is kind of a basic response but I do think some songs are hard to sing corporately.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: So maybe that's an easy way to discern.
Danny Price: that's a great That's a great category of like having that, though, if you can't sing it. Yeah.
Sara: Yeah, absolutely. And then there's a few songs that I've heard that are sung from the perspective of God.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: And like it's weird to have a whole congregation singing that together.
Danny Price: Yeah. Totally.
Sara: Like if that's something we were to do, it'd be like, Hey, just listen to these words. and like receive it like they're so they're
Danny Price: Totally.
Sara: Worship music is just so broad now. There's so many different
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: it's It's crazy. So yeah, there's definitely... I think there's a time for both.
Danny Price: Interesting.
Sara: If that answered your question.
Danny Price: No, that totally that totally makes sense. And that's something that I think that we... to get away from the performative side of worship. so that we we're not doing that, I think that's a great category to have of, hey, is this a song that everyone can sing?
Danny Price: um especially and i think it's just i mean it's hard for you being a girl with thinking about this too but um And I think you'll you do a good job making sure that there's more of the lower octaves represented in.
Sara: think
Danny Price: lower keys for male singers because i think it's hard when you're a guy and you're like You know, there's there's this girl on stage and she and she sings great, but i there's no way I can follow her unless I'm very musical and can know where to sing octaves beneath her.
Danny Price: Because... that's really difficult when you're just like listening to a song or like, this is just for her to sing it. I, there's no way I could ever follow along, or like sing with that.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: that's difficult That's difficult. So that's cool that you're thinking about that. Um, Yeah, i don't know what you like I don't know how you remedy that besides just having people because you only have so much of a range. And for those of you who don't know that. just to like.
Danny Price: Maybe Sarah, talk about that. Just like get nerdy a little bit with the musicalness of it. What what are what are keys in music and how does that represent with like, what what is an octave and how does that work? And why are some songs easier to sing than others? Maybe we should.
Danny Price: break it down so that Because I know what you're talking about, but... Explain that.
Sara: Yeah, totally. I mean... I don't even know how to like really get into this. Like the musical like technicality side of it because I don't understand all of it to be completely honest um but pretty much the keys we can have a higher key we're singing a song in a lower key or like a middle key
Danny Price: this is nerdy this is nerdy stuff
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um And generally I'll try and base it off of the original key of the song.
Danny Price: So what you're hearing, if you're here on the radio or whatever.
Sara: what I'm hearing, but also it is hard because a lot of worship music is sang by males and I to not sing that low.
Danny Price: You don't have that, yeah
Sara: So I kind of always have to change it but
Sara: I would say... i have like a pretty mid range maybe a little more high so i try and keep that in mind when i'm picking keys
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Like it.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: If it's... I don't know, I don't know. i'm trying not to pick any crazy keys anything super high or super low i'm just trying to keep it pretty neutral and i'm also think not even when i'm just picking keys but when i'm picking songs
Danny Price: Yeah. Right.
Sara: Like it.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: All these worship people love these double octave songs.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: where you you're singing super low and all of a sudden you jump up super high.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um
Danny Price: So... and so i'll jump in here just so like i maybe i can explain this to you like what an octave is so
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: For those of you who have ever seen a piano before.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: If you look at a piano. I have one in behind me that I wish like I could show you guys a video of. so On a piano, you have multiple notes. And all those notes repeat. There's different sections of the keyboard that it just repeats. So if you think... If you've ever seen a piano before, you have two black keys followed by three black keys followed by two black keys.
Danny Price: right and so the those two black keys and three black black keys and all the white keys that are around them that's an ah That's a whole... No representation. So that starts with. a b c d e f g and then it goes back to a to a again and there's sharps and stuff in between there i'm not going to get too crazy so that's an octave right there and if you go to the next octave it's the same note but higher. And Sarah, I'm not going to put you on the spot and have you sing like a note and sing the octave above. but
Danny Price: for those of you listening, maybe that can just kind of help you understand. you could have you but You could be playing the same note, but just the range of it, it's up higher. And so it could be in the key of.
Danny Price: like Sarah, what's the most common worship key that you usually sing in?
Sara: C probably.
Danny Price: C. so the So the key of C, which on the piano would be all white notes. There would be no black keys played for the in the key of C. It would just be all the white keys. um If you're playing the key of C, you can also play the key of C up higher.
Danny Price: And then you can play even higher than that. And there's, um how many octaves are in the piano? Let me look. on mine there's less because mine's actually not a full -size keyboard but there's like seven or so octaves just on my keyboard.
Danny Price: Or in a full size so you can see how like you could you could make it curator curated for that really, really high voice. that really high female voice. And it would be really hard for a male person to sing along with that. So you're trying to keep it more in the, basically what you're saying is keep it more in the mid range and the keys that you're picking are keys that are easily singable and you're not picking keys like.
Danny Price: the key of like what would be a hard key to to play something in musically or sing along with that's more
Sara: Like E flat, I don't know.
Danny Price: like e flat or b like b flat or something yeah it would just be very difficult very difficult
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: to sing in.
Sara: Yeah, and that's another thing I'm thinking about is...
Danny Price: oh
Sara: All right, I got a whole band that has to play this song now, so I need to make sure it's not. Amin.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Luckily... I will say all of our musicians are capable but...
Danny Price: It's still harder.
Sara: bit easy. Yeah, it's gonna be hard.
Danny Price: It's still harder. yeah no that's i'm glad that you brought that that's a cool little side thing and sorry if we're getting nerdy and people are like listening they're like i don't want to listen to you guys talk about musical stuff
Sara: Yeah.
Sara: Okay, you described that so much better. I did not know how.
Danny Price: i don't know a lot i wish i knew more music theory but if you for those of you on like listening, if you guys. look up certain people like if you looked up uh what's his face what's the guy that you saw in concert um the one wizard guy that's got a british accent and he's just like so smart you know i'm talking about
Sara: what The wizard guy?
Danny Price: you and patrick went You and Patrick went to see him, didn't you? Didn't you see him with Patrick? And Mandy went too.
Sara: who's the wizard guy.
Danny Price: He plays keys, but he also does a bunch of stuff.
Sara: Oh, you're talking about What's his name? I did not go to that concert.
Danny Price: He... Oh, you didn't. He's a wizard, though.
Sara: Oh my gosh.
Danny Price: He's so smart. Jacob Collier.
Sara: What's his name?
Danny Price: Jacob Collier.
Sara: Yep. He is a genius, a musical genius.
Danny Price: um So he's a genius with the...
Sara: Wizard.
Danny Price: music theory. And he just is really talented as well. But music theory is the relationship of notes with each other. And there's like math that gets involved in this like really cool stuff. And you're like, it doesn't make sense. And it just like, again, points to God's design.
Danny Price: Like if you don't know anything about that.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: Go watch some of his, I think he does like a Wired interview where he just gets. it's like the top questions that get Googled about music and he just answers them. Go look at that. I'm like, i I'll link it below if you guys want, but. ah Just for those of you who are like, their music's easy. You just sing it. it's just There's so much that goes into it. You would not believe it.
Danny Price: It boggles your brain.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: So.
Sara: Yeah. That's so funny.
Danny Price: Anyway, sorry, that was a huge tangent. That was fun. That was not planned at all. That was just fun to get into. So you're picking songs.
Sara: that's okay
Danny Price: you're listening to songs that you like and you're like, this is worshipful songs that are actually. to be sung to god not just from like god singing down to you which would be weird to sing to him back to him i guess and then songs that are singable with the congregation
Sara: Right. right
Danny Price: um And then what's the process? Do you just kind of work that in? Do you add, how often do you add new songs? Are you going back to old songs like hymns? Like for example, are you going back to old? I know like this week we sang an old 2000 song.
Danny Price: like Like when do you decide to do that?
Sara: Yeah. Yeah. um Yeah, so we just sang The Stand this last week.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: I brought that one in this summer. That was like... i it's not a new song but it is a new song because we haven't sung it in like years and years um
Danny Price: Hmm. Yeah.
Sara: And I think there's value in bringing back old songs. and the hymns, all of it.
Danny Price: Yeah. Yeah.
Sara: So I trained it. i don't want to Because I'm considering our congregation, I don't want to just be bringing in these brand new songs every week that... most people probably don't listen to or know.
Danny Price: Yeah. Yeah.
Sara: um
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: So you're just finding songs that kind of like are represented well. And then I know for me, like I remember singing that song back in church when I was a kid. um so it's cool to like sing the songs again when you're like oh yeah i forgot about that
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: Um, the the The music industry is moving really fast right now, and I'm sure you can. like you're you're aware of this, but like. all these artists are kind of because of the industry and because of the demand they're kind of being forced to come out like phil like how many songs does phil wickham have Like.
Sara: Dude.
Danny Price: so many because it's like the there's a demand for it and the the market's there so it's like people will like still be like coming out with songs and it's just like continuing to
Sara: yeah
Danny Price: you know elevation and all these big artists like they're they're coming out with stuff and so if you're trying to keep up with that it is hard to add all that in and to have people remember the lyrics. Um,
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: And for musicians too, for like people on the worship team to be able to. learned that new song yeah again a lot of it's just four chords but still that's that's difficult
Sara: hu
Danny Price: um
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: Is there an artist that you're like, this is the artist that I really am enjoying right now? Um,
Danny Price: you don't have You don't have to pick one if you...
Sara: I don't think I have like a specific artist to be honest with you.
Danny Price: What about like if you're by yourself? do you like Who do you listen to? If like if you're not thinking like church or just picking songs for worship, is there anyone that you're like, I really like listening to them? Maybe even if it's not even necessarily like music that you would sing on stage for worship.
Sara: Yeah, absolutely. I've been loving as S -E -U Bye. Is that them?
Danny Price: S -E -U
Sara: i see you worship they just dropped a new album maybe a couple months ago?
Danny Price: Huh. Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida
Sara: Is it SEU?
Danny Price: A bunch of students. Yeah, S -E -U, worship.
Sara: I've never actually pronounced that out loud. So it just felt weird.
Danny Price: I think that did they do what a God? Yeah. What a God.
Sara: Yeah. they do what a god um
Danny Price: Um,
Sara: But I've just been shuffling.
Danny Price: That's cool.
Sara: Their newest album recently
Danny Price: so yeah listens You can listen to those guys and check them out. Awesome.
Sara: Check them out.
Danny Price: Um. Let's see here. so the songs that we did this sunday let's talk about that for a little bit um So we did I know a name um And that's by Brandon Lake, Chris Brown. and some of the elevation guys. um Graves into Gardens, also by Brandon Lake and Elevation. The Stand, which is an old Hillsong United song.
Danny Price: And then Gratitude, which is also by Brandon Lake.
Sara: h
Danny Price: So Brandon Lake had some representation.
Sara: He did.
Danny Price: That's not necessarily.
Sara: I didn't even think about that.
Danny Price: That's not even necessarily like... intentional i'm sure by any means um Which one did you would you want to tackle first? I don't know if there's one or two or three that you have more to say about, but like. which one do you want to to look to look at first.
Sara: Yeah, I mean, okay, as I was thinking about it.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um i think i know a name and graves in the gardens both have a lot of similarities and then Same with the stand and gratitude. um so we kind of just split it off and did
Danny Price: Hmm. Yeah.
Sara: Those two.
Danny Price: So let's do Graves into Gardens and I Know a Name first. and then we'll do the standing and gratitude.
Sara: Let's do it.
Danny Price: so I'll just kind of like let you just kind of work through this. so Is there anything in... in any of these songs, both of these that you want to just like call out or mention, or like, this is a cool significance. so You might not know this kind of thing.
Sara: um I mean, I'm not gonna have any... Awesome one -liners here. Anything that's going to leave you.
Danny Price: No, no, no, not at all.
Sara: But...
Danny Price: No, it doesn't need to be that way
Sara: um One thing I really love about the song, I Know a Name.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: is in both of the verses it kind of goes over just the authority that is in his name that very first line of the song is i know a name that can silence roaring waves And that's kind of.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: Speaking into Jesus when he's on the boat with his disciples and he completely calms the storm. um There's another line in the verse, I know a name with dominion over death.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Um. And... I love that song because I think there is so much power when we call upon even just his name. Um,
Danny Price: No, well I love that I want to Google something really quick.
Sara: And one thing... Yeah, go ahead. I was just going to say...
Danny Price: Go ahead.
Sara: I think I hope people don't take the song like super literally like Every time I call your name chains break, dry bones wake. up But how I kind of see that is that when we call upon the name of Jesus in faith, he's not going to just leave us hanging.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: Dead things will still come alive. He's still bringing new life. He's still setting us free from sin. um And it can it can be in so many different forms, if that makes sense.
Danny Price: Yeah. no and that's something that like that's i i think i even mentioned that too you with the song i'm like it's not my favorite song because of that um But.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: There is still like. And again, like, like you said, that that's a preference and that's not something like I still, I still sing the song out, like out loud. And I'm like, and. I'm very. comfortable worshiping to this with this song i think there's some times where you're like As long as we don't mean that, but I think knowing that and just having a good theology with that, I don't think it's wrong.
Danny Price: to
Sara: yeah
Danny Price: Like, look at that. Like, yeah, I don't mean that there's like. because you don't want to talk about like the whole like name it and claim it crowd of like, you know, Christianity where it's like, you just say Jesus's name and instantly.
Sara: Boo.
Danny Price: This is... Like, you know, boom, it's like... you you know, God's not a jack in the box like that, but there is power in Jesus.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: And so. Very easy, very easy to sing about that.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: I wanted to mention, and I was just Googling this as I'm looking through these lyrics. There's a lyric here. That says... Hold on, I have to find it now. I scrolled away and now I'm having to come back to it. So in, I think this would be.
Danny Price: second verse or second part of the first verse he is the heel that has crushed the serpent's head a resurrected great I am. oh If you don't know... your Bible, that might sound weird.
Danny Price: He is the heel.
Sara: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
Danny Price: like Like, what does that mean? The heel of bread? Like, what is that? so The heel.
Sara: It is very diffusing. But if you go back to Genesis, it's prophesied.
Danny Price: It... But if you go back to Genesis.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: It's a prophecy.
Sara: I don't know the exact.
Danny Price: No, so it's gene that's what I was Googling earlier. So it's genenisis Genesis 3 .15. Oh, by the way. That word that I googled that is a word I have to go back. Or did I just Google a second i ago?
Danny Price: it is ah It is a word. It is not the word that I... that i meant so it is ah is a totally performatism it is not what I meant it to say. It's actually something, it's like a philosophy term. so i'm I'm not smart, and I was wrong about that. But back to Genesis 3 .15.
Sara: mm -hmm
Danny Price: Um, it's basically god just talking to eve and saying that you're gonna have um your offspring are is going to fight against a snake and he will bruise your heel and you will crush his and your offspring will crush his head. And when he's saying offspring, he's not saying.
Danny Price: your sons necessarily. He's talking about. the offspring that is to come, which is Jesus. So it's kind of ah this prophecy that goes back about how Jesus is going to conquer death and he's going to conquer Satan and he's going to crush the serpent's head.
Danny Price: So when we're singing, he is the heel that crushes the serpent's head.
Sara: like
Danny Price: We're just essentially affirming the prophecy that. that that god gave back to eve back in the back in the garden after she sinned about how there's someone that's going to come. That's going to redeem all of mankind.
Danny Price: And he's going to conquer Satan and conquer the grave. So. Again, really cool. If you know what that is, but if you don't know what that is, and you're like, I don't know what I'm singing.
Sara: yeah
Danny Price: He is the heel. Okay.
Sara: is the heel.
Danny Price: Yeah. Anything else on that one? that you want to Even something that you want to compare it to for the next song or anything else that you wanted to... to call out.
Sara: The biggest... Similarities I see.
Danny Price: Mhm.
Sara: That song, okay, I love I Know Name. Super repetitive. Dead things come alive in the name of Jesus.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um That kind of trickles into Graves into Gardens.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: beautifully because it kind of just shows um Just the spiritual freedom and newness that Jesus brings to us.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um Going into graves into gardens.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: I think this is a very... like, testimonial song, if that makes sense.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um like whenever we're seeing these verses like i just get emotional because i just think like Man, this was me. like I searched the world, but it couldn't fill me.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: But now like every desire is now satisfied. Here in you, Lord.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um I think that's just such a beautiful thing. And just seeing that as a congregation, just that truth that, Lord, there's nothing better than you. um I think that's such a beautiful reminder and it's just a powerful thing.
Danny Price: Yeah. I love that.
Sara: That's true.
Danny Price: Yeah, I know that. i can and you Do you want me to read? Is that going to take too long? do you i could I don't even have to read every... ah every chorus but i could read if you want just the first couple verses if that would help if that would help just like bring A little bit of.
Sara: Yeah, I'm going to pull it up too.
Danny Price: Yeah. Cause I was like, I'm like, I feel bad talking about this. If you weren't here on Sunday, you're like, I don't know what the song is. I'm not going to, you know, whatever. So this is the. Just the lyrics of Graves in the Gardens. I searched the world, but it couldn't fill me, which is what Sarah was talking about. Man's empty praise and treasures that fade are never enough.
Danny Price: so just again someone this is just like paint again painting the picture like she said of the testimony of like This is... what life looks like without, without Jesus, when you're just trying to fill that hole in your heart was, you know, to Go back to...
Danny Price: kind of the more you know first grade analogy that hold that hole in your heart that is never going to be filled um then you came along and put me back together and every desire is now satisfied here in your love
Sara: yeah
Danny Price: And then it's, oh, there's nothing better than you. There's nothing better than you, Lord. There's nothing, nothing is better than you. And then again, continuing on, I'm not afraid to show you my weakness, my failures and flaws. Lord, you've seen them all and you still call me friend.
Danny Price: because the God of the mountains is the God of the valley. There's not a place your mercy and grace won't find me again. and then it kind of gets into this Like. Um, So after the chorus again, it kind of gets into this.
Danny Price: Would you call this the bridge, Sarah, musically?
Sara: Yep.
Danny Price: Yeah, so the so the bridge, which is kind of like... bridging again between the verses and the chorus ha that's why it's called the bridge um it's allowing this person like this person is kind of looking back on to god and and then and like Telling him. or, ah or you know, worshiping him in these ways of like what God has done.
Danny Price: And. So you hear this and it's you turn mourning into dancing. So it's again, it's like this. this dichotomy is this into this you give beauty for ashes you turn shame into glory you're the only one who can you turn mourning to dancing and you see it so singing again then it goes you turn graves into gardens You turn bones into armies. You turn seas into highways. You're the only one who can't. Sarah, what are what are those three?
Danny Price: What do those three mean? Or what what what is a callback with those three? Um, like ah What would you call that? Like a dyad? There's two things. what would like where are Where are those from in scripture?
Danny Price: Where is...
Sara: yeah absolutely It's kind of funny.
Danny Price: If you wanted to like...
Sara: You bring your son.
Danny Price: Graves into Gardens, where is that from?
Sara: Um. I personally, I don't know if there's like a specific point in scripture I would look to, but I just think about the transformative. aspect of Jesus in your life.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: and being made new again um but it is funny because on sunday I was talking with Shane and he was like, What does it mean like you turn seas into highways? Which honestly, if you don't.
Sara: Even if you do know scripture, like it can be hard to tie things together. But that's referencing Moses splitting the Red Sea.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: He made a way for them when there wasn't a way. um
Danny Price: what is it What about bones into armies?
Sara: I think it is funny though.
Danny Price: Are we going to raise the dead here as Christians? What does that mean?
Sara: um
Danny Price: Do you know where that's from?
Sara: No actually.
Danny Price: Alright.
Sara: Is there a specific?
Danny Price: yeah there is um
Sara: Okay, tell me.
Danny Price: So Bones into Army is... Referencing Ezekiel, I'm going to pull this up. Hold on. Give me a second. I'm going to pull up. This is the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37.
Danny Price: Hold on.
Danny Price: All right, so the Valley of Dry Bones. the hand of the lord This is Ezekiel 37 I'm reading. The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out of the spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley. It was full of bones. And he led me back and forth among them. And I saw a great many bones in the floor of the valley, bones that were dry. He asked me, son of man, can these bones live? And I said, sovereign Lord, you alone know. And then he said to me, prophesy to these bones and say to them, dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
Danny Price: This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones. I will make them breathe. enter you and come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come up come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you and come to and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
Danny Price: So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together bone to bone. I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them. And there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to it, this is what the sovereign Lord said.
Danny Price: Come breathe from the four winds and breathe into these slain that they may live. So I prophesied his as he's commanded and breath entered them and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army. And then he said to me, son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say our bones are dried up and our hope is gone and we are cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them.
Danny Price: This is what the sovereign Lord says. My people, I'm going to open your graves and bring. you up from them i will bring you back to the land of israel then you my people will know that i am the lord And when I open your graves and bring you up from them, I will put the spirit in you and you will live and I will settle in. you in your own land, then you will know that I'm the Lord and I have spoken and I have done this declares the Lord.
Danny Price: Isn't that sweet?
Sara: Kill them. Yeah, that's awesome.
Danny Price: So like you're singing this, this like this, like part of this. this bridge and you're like, you turn bones into armies. And you're like, as long as like, if you don't know what that means, again, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: Like if, because I just learned about this recently when I Googled it. But I'm like. you have no idea you're like that's and that's what made me google it like that's an interesting phrase I don't even know what that means. And again, it's going back to this old Old Testament passage where Ezekiel is prophesying and like God.
Sara: you know
Danny Price: is kind of showing him this awesome thing about restoring israel so
Sara: Yeah, absolutely.
Danny Price: Pretty pretty sweet that there's that kind of depth in some of these songs that we're just singing very commonplace on Sunday
Sara: Absolutely. And if you know the significance of the words, it's just like.
Danny Price: Mmm.
Sara: Ugh. Man, that's so cool
Danny Price: Okay. No, I totally agree Yeah, and and again, this is just like the beauty of... you know the bible and a lot of hopefully you know a lot of these people that are coming up with these songs are using they're not just thinking about.
Danny Price: what's a nice way to write a love song to God. But they're also thinking about like, we're scripture tied into this.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: So i do I do love that song. and that's that's That's fantastic. Is there anything else that you wanted to mention? um about that specifically that that that speaks to you or anything that, you know, why you like to pick that one. Other than it is a fun song to play or or listen to at least.
Danny Price: And there doesn't have to be. I just wanted to make sure I leave space.
Sara: Yeah, I mean, I think I specifically love that song because it just reminds me of what God has done in my life.
Sara: But it also is just... A moment to... um
Sara: Just kind of be reliant on him too. And be like, God, you are the one who does all of this.
Danny Price: Yeah. Yep.
Sara: You're the one who brings this transformation. It's not me.
Danny Price: Yep.
Sara: You're the only one who can and there's nothing better than you.
Danny Price: Yep.
Sara: I just... said i think that's awesome and i think that's an awesome place to like bring the congregation into as we're worshiping.
Danny Price: Yeah. I love that. Well great. um Let's move into the next two. So we got the stand and we have gratitude. So which one do you want to do first?
Sara: Let's do the stand.
Danny Price: The stand. 2006, back when I was a wee young lad of... 11. How old were you in 2006 Sarah? Were you born in 2006?
Sara: I was four years old.
Danny Price: fifty That's crazy.
Sara: That's awesome.
Danny Price: Ah. all right go ahead anything that i'll just chime in anything that stands out Haha, that stands out.
Sara: ah Nice one. Let me pull up the lyrics. Just so I'm not jumping all over the place. Peace. Oh.
Danny Price: And while she's doing that. Do you know, does Hillsong United still do songs? Are they still a thing? Are they done?
Sara: You know what? I have no idea. I don't... I feel like they haven't done anything in a while I could be wrong.
Danny Price: I think it just says they're in a hiatus. They've had ah some scandal stuff that's happened at Hillsong, so I think that had that's had to do with some of it. But it sounds like they're a little bit on the hiatus right now.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: That's such a that's ah that's ah such a bummer, but you see that a lot of time. This is a... so total tangent but a lot of these like really creative types and like bands and stuff they just go through a lot of There's just a lot of scandal stuff. It's not always like.
Danny Price: affairs or whatever but some of it is just like bad leadership and you see like
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: When people who are. And I'm not saying this is just the case for a lot of these, like there's a lot of Christian artists that are just walking with the Lord and this is not the case at all, but you do see this. um Just when you get elevated really quickly into the spotlight, kind of like Sarah said earlier, like it's hard to keep your head screwed on straight when you went from a small worship team at your church to all of a sudden national recognition.
Sara: Yeah.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: A lot of people can't handle that. And then there's a scandal and just stuff that happens and it's difficult to avoid that. So you got to have. You got to make sure you're... you know go into the lord for your validation and also get good people around you because I've i've just seen it over my the course of my life.
Danny Price: And Hillsong is like the prime example, but there's been some other.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: I know Bethel's going through stuff right now. There's just always, there's a lot of these worship artists that are just, they're struggling because there's a lot of.
Sara: it can be a slippery slope.
Danny Price: controversy. Yeah.
Sara: For sure.
Danny Price: It's hard when you're elevated like that. So anyways, go so go ahead with the stand.
Sara: Yeah. um So The Stand, it kind of just goes through the creation story.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: and then Uh, It also, the second verse, well, I guess verse one, you stood before creation, eternity in your hands. You spoke the earth into motion, my soul now to stand.
Sara: And then verse two talks about the cross, how he carried the cross for our shame.
Danny Price: Mm hmm.
Sara: It was my sin weighed upon your shoulders, my soul now to stand. um And then the pre -chorus is, so what can I say? What can I do but offer this God?
Sara: but offer sorry but offer this heart, oh God, completely to you. Um... And I think this song kind of does go hand in hand with gratitude.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: um what's the course of gratitude i can't think of right now Just kind of the concept of like...
Danny Price: So I throw up my hands.
Sara: um There's nothing we could do to repay him. for what he's done.
Danny Price: Yeah. Yeah.
Sara: There's nothing. And it makes me think about... What song is it?
Danny Price: you can just You can just quote it. You don't have to get perfect. I can Google it too and try to find it.
Sara: um
Sara: Wait, actually... I have my Bible right here. I don't remember what one it is but it's... It's like you you don't delight in our sacrifice, but you want. our hearts.
Sara: What song is it?
Danny Price: oh that might be there's mike and micah it says i desire Um, mercy and not sacrifice if that's what you're talking about like it Micah 6 .8, I want to say it is. Let me look Google it. nine plus six eight Oh, that's different.
Danny Price: it's so it's so it's it It is along there, but go ahead.
Sara: We have found it.
Danny Price: Keep keep keep going.
Sara: So it's Psalm 51, verse 16. You do not delight in sacrifice or i would bring it. you do not pleasure you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings my sacrifice oh god is a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart you god will not despise um
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: And I think that's a beautiful thing. because I think that's what Jesus is after. He's after our hearts. and he's after our humbled spirits before him. while we worship him like lord there's nothing i could do to repay you.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: But here's my heart. Here's my hallelujah. Here's my praise.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: um
Danny Price: I love that. Um, Sorry, I was thinking of the wrong one.
Sara: back to that.
Danny Price: I just Googled it. I was thinking of Hosea 6 -6. Micah 6 -8 is similar. but Hosea 6, 6 is for, I desire mercy. It's very similar to that Psalm for, I desire mercy, not sacrifice and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: It's crazy how scripture goes together like that. It's almost like God wrote it.
Sara: How many crossovers? it's beautiful
Danny Price: ah um What do you think? So. this is I just have a question about this because both of these songs talk about this. So so I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned, it says in the stand.
Danny Price: And then in gratitude, it says, so I'll throw up my hands and praise you again and again.
Sara: me
Danny Price: What? First of all, what are your thoughts about raising your hands in worship? And what is like the significance of that? Why do we do that? um And why did these songs sing about that as like a posture of the heart? Maybe if you just wanted to... to like spiel on that for a second.
Sara: Yeah. To me, I think raising our hands is a... and outward appearance of our inward hearts in our postures.
Danny Price: Yeah. Hmm.
Sara: You know, it's. I've heard it beautifully explained before it's like it's like a little kid when they're like raising their hands up and they're like hey daggy can you pick me up but i also just see it as like it's a total sign of surrender
Danny Price: Yeah. Hmm.
Sara: you know just raising your hands being open, doing something that's maybe uncomfortable.
Danny Price: Yeah. Yeah.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Um. I mean I don't think worship is measured off of... if your hands are raised or not.
Danny Price: How much you raise your hands.
Sara: um I don't know your heart towards the Lord. um But I do think it's just a beautiful thing too.
Danny Price: That's funny.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Surrender. and fall now.
Danny Price: I come. like my old like from my background i i came from a church when i was younger i went to ah a vineyard church and Everything was about raising your hands and more outward outward expressions.
Danny Price: It was more charismatic church. and I felt guilty because my personality is more.
Sara: who
Danny Price: reserved just naturally like i am funny and like i try to like i try to be funny at least and i try to be more extroverted in some cases but In worship, I don't always have those outward emotions with that. And so it was really hard for me in that setting. And then we went to Mountain Life for a long time. And Mountain Life is very different.
Danny Price: um And it was a lot, a lot less of that, a lot less of the hand raising and stuff. and
Sara: Mm hmm.
Danny Price: I think. There's an interesting perspective of like what you said, it's not a performative thing, but there is this cool. just heart posture of. I'm i'm releasing. I'm surrendering.
Sara: mm -hmm
Danny Price: And. Again, it does not have to be true worship for you to do that. I know maybe there's some Baptists or Presbyterians listening to this and they're thinking that's ridiculous. You should not raise your hands in worship because that's irreverent. and And I would challenge that. And I would say, I think that there's an element to.
Danny Price: um raising holy hands and Just... the singing to the Lord. And I, and I think it's a really beautiful thing. And I think if you're worried about what other people are thinking of you, that's kind of just the wrong premise. Like you don't need to be thinking, Oh look, I look so much more holy or so much more devoted because I'm raising my hands.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: No, if you're thinking that you just don't even raise your hands. It's not worth it.
Sara: Right. Because he's after it hard.
Danny Price: Raise your hands because you love the Lord.
Sara: And if that's where your heart's at.
Danny Price: Yeah, no.
Sara: And you need to do a little reevaluation there.
Danny Price: No, no So anyways. um I just know that that's kind of... a that's kind of a hot topic with some people. Cause I think a lot of people, and again, no one's judging you if you're not raising your hands or if you are raising your hands. I mean, I think that's, I think that's great.
Danny Price: Either way, your heart is what God's after. He's not after and whether or not necessarily your... raising your hands during worship. And if you don't, that means you really weren't sacrificing for the Lord. So you must not be a Christian.
Danny Price: Don't don't get down that rabbit trail. there's that that's That's not helpful.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: It's just... Where is your heart before the Lord?
Sara: Yep.
Danny Price: and that's kind of an outpouring of that
Sara: And it's just between you and God.
Danny Price: so
Sara: It's not about anyone else around you or impressing anyone.
Danny Price: Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I have an interesting question with that. I have, okay, fine. We're going to divide people on this.
Sara: Ha ha!
Danny Price: This is this is called controversy. Um, I have heard some really interesting... concepts of the pros and cons of having it darker versus more lit. in.
Danny Price: the sanctuary and here. Okay. So I'm going to explain this to the listener. group here's the what i've heard and this is just i'll let you guys decide there's not a right and wrong i'm just saying here are the two options on the one side you have darker in the sanctuary during worship not during the the teaching because you want to be able to read your bible but darker during worship so that there's less distraction of seeing the people around you it's more between you and god And you feel like it's not as embarrassing if you do raise your hands or if you are singing more out loud. So the music being a little louder room being a little darker, it's easier of an environment to.
Danny Price: it have it just between between you and the lord without any distraction okay that's on the one side on the other side we have more lit in the sanctuary. And the arguments I've heard for this are. the more lit it is. And by lit, I mean... the lights are on, not lit. Like it's lit in here.
Danny Price: but more lights on so that you can see the san the sanctuary and you can see.
Sara: ah's dellar
Danny Price: the The group together and it's more of like it binds you all together knowing that you're all worshiping together as one you know, church to worship, worshiping Jesus. and it it it creates a sense of like community and fellowship and like we're all you know raising our hands to god or we're all singing to god together and like you can see people around you So i don't um there's i don't I truly actually don't believe that there's like a right or wrong.
Danny Price: But Sarah, where do you land on this? Or like what do you think are the benefits? do you have any Have you thought about this?
Sara: Yeah, I don't think there's a right or wrong.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: But I think just based off of like my personal experience. um If I had it my way, we would have windows, natural light.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: in the whole sanctuary. because I do I just I think that's where
Danny Price: Okay.
Sara: It gets tricky, and I think that's where our preferences our preferences come in with worship. is
Danny Price: And I'm asking you that. i' i know you're not saying I know you're not saying this is the right or wrong way.
Sara: Yeah. no no i know but this is just my opinion because i do think people will be like it's dark i'm comfortable
Danny Price: You're okay.
Sara: So that's what I'll worship.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: but I think God wants us to be not be ashamed or afraid to worship him. um
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: because it's it shouldn't be based off if we're comfortable or not you know like i want to be able to lift my hands in broad daylight not just when it's dark and no one can see me
Danny Price: I like that.
Sara: That's my opinion.
Danny Price: I like that.
Sara: That's my personal opinion.
Danny Price: No, I like that. i like that
Sara: I think it's just... Yeah.
Danny Price: No, I appreciate that. um i I wasn't trying to... set you up for failure here i was just more wanting to hear your opinion because all these things like all these things that we're talking about Me and Sarah and Patrick and other people have like.
Sara: No, that's just what I think.
Danny Price: wrestled with this stuff even internally more more more so for me because i'm not in leadership at all when it comes to mountain view or making decisions but like just me personally thinking about my preferences and like, what would I prefer or or what do I feel like is worshipful? And again, I always come back to.
Danny Price: man, I can worship God just as easier, you know, when it's a little bit more dark versus in the light and I'm not, and I'm just going to worship it nonetheless with my hands up, with my hands down, does it really, ah does it really matter? So I'm not. caught up with it.
Danny Price: But it did all these things, people people discuss this. There's a lot more that goes into some of these decisions than I think people would realize when it comes to worship.
Sara: Meow.
Danny Price: So.
Sara: Yeah, absolutely
Danny Price: Anyways, sorry. back that was a I'm the king of tangents. I just kind of like shoot off on these things. Anyways, so back to the song. Anything else on gratitude or the stand that you wanted to talk about? Sorry, I kind of got us derailed there.
Danny Price: Talking about hands lifted in the room lighting.
Sara: That's okay. I'm trying to think where I left off with that song. um
Danny Price: You're talking about... like all you can do is just, is this like worship because of what he's done for us. And I think that's kind of where you left it off.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: I'm looking through the lyrics to see if there's anything else.
Sara: I don't know if I had any other thoughts on that one.
Danny Price: Okay. On both, on the gratitude and the stand, or to just the stand specifically?
Sara: I think the stand and gratitude. Because I think...
Danny Price: One thing... I do want to mention.
Sara: Yeah, go. ahead
Danny Price: if you're If you're done. I really love the phrase. um So come on my soul. Don't you get shy on me. Lift up your song. And. the The idea of. you see it like you see david doing this all the time in the psalms of like he knows that his you know why are you downcast on my soul like he talks to himself, like he's talking to a second person inside of him of like, listen, I know you don't want to, but we're going to do it anyways.
Sara: and
Danny Price: I know you might not feel like it right now, but we're going to worship. So come on my soul. Like, don't get, straight don't get a shot at me.
Sara: Yeah. see Yeah.
Danny Price: I like that like phrasing or I like that idea of like. I... might not feel the most worshipful right now. It doesn't matter. I'm i'm going to choose to worship. but I'm going to do it. And I'm going to tell myself that we are going to worship the Lord.
Danny Price: And i I really like that part of it because I think sometimes...
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: worship like you said is all about our I don't know, you know, our preferences. And I don't I just didn't feel that worshipful. So I just didn't worship or I didn't like the drums this Sunday.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: So I just didn't worship. It's like that is so not where we're at. Come on my soul. Don't you get shy, you know, come on my soul.
Sara: Okay. come on
Danny Price: Don't you get, don't you give into your preferences. We're going to worship the Lord. Um, I like i like that.
Sara: Yeah. Yeah.
Danny Price: that one That one's always stuck with me.
Sara: I do too. And not to not to do another tangent, but...
Danny Price: Oh, please do
Sara: Just kind of earlier how I was saying like some of the struggles of the rep repetitiveness so why is it so hard for me to say
Danny Price: Say it again.
Sara: The repetitiveness. Boom. There we go.
Danny Price: didn't Say it again.
Sara: Stop it. Thanks. um
Danny Price: I'm gonna keep bugging you about that.
Sara: Where was I going? Oh my gosh, I literally just lost my train of thought.
Danny Price: The repetitiveness of.
Sara: The repetitiveness of...
Danny Price: The struggle of that.
Sara: Oh, yes. um Just to be completely honest with you because I'm a human there will be like some Sunday mornings where I walk in and I'm like man i'm just not feeling it like lord i don't want to I...
Danny Price: Hmm. Yeah.
Sara: i just i'm tired i don't want to do this i'm not feeling joyful um But then I always have to come back to the truth and to the facts. and Like whenever I have these conversations with God On Sunday mornings, they always end with...
Sara: But God, you are worthy. You know, and that's I that's just what I have to like constantly remind myself like None of these other things matter like how worthy is Lord of our worship of our time of our sacrifice of all of it
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Like, come on my soul. That's... And also I do think. I'm doing another side tangent.
Danny Price: No, please do, please do. This is what this is for.
Sara: Like when I when I think about what worship truly is I think about the first time Worship. The word worship is mentioned in the Bible.
Danny Price: m
Sara: And it's when Abraham is going to sacrifice Isaac. his son that they waited forever and ever for his most prized possession. And before they go up to the hill where he's going to sacrifice him, he says,
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: um We're going to go up and worship.
Danny Price: a
Sara: And his worship wasn't singing songs, but it was...
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: It was his obedience to the Lord.
Danny Price: Wow.
Sara: And I just think...
Danny Price: that's cool
Sara: Like that's where I'm at every Sunday morning His Lord. This is my worship to you. You are worthy. I'm going to be obedient to you. and Um,
Sara: Oh come on, my soul!
Danny Price: Yeah, seriously.
Sara: Worthy. It's not just about music.
Danny Price: No, I really like that you said that ah it's about obedience and that there's an element. Because again, if i if I think if that would be my biggest hope for a lot of people in the congregation.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: And. I have this. dream tell sarah you can help this dream come to come to reality at some point i'm like we need to teach certain especially guys, because I have a passion for this.
Danny Price: to like sing we're we're lacking the low range in the congregation like a lot of guys just don't like to sing and
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: I don't know if it would help to do like... I don't know. we need to like show them how to do like what a four -part harmony sounds like or certain things because it's like you doing choir, like you, you can like. resonate with that maybe but I think it's so hard when you have guys that I'm like, you need, like you want them to to lead their family and you want them to sing. And a lot of guys are just like, I just don't want to sing. I, cause I don't feel like it. Or I feel, I feel weird. I'm like, this is so much, this is so not about us.
Danny Price: Do you remember Thor from that used to be the youth pastor?
Sara: I do. Haha.
Danny Price: he always struck me and thor i don't think you're listening to this or if anyone knows thor this is not a a disc he had the possibly the worst voice i have ever heard in my life when it came to singing but he would always sing
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: loudly and whether, and you might make the argument, it might be a little bit distracting to do that. And I get it. I just was always so. Like, oh, that's just that's that's so cool of his heart. that he's knowing that I'm not.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: I know I'm not a good singer, but I'm still gonna sing loudly. Because... I... want to worship the lord and truth be told if everyone sang as loudly as he did you would never hear his voice because everyone would be singing the same
Sara: right
Danny Price: So I know some people were like, that was annoying, distracting. I'm like, yeah, sure, maybe. But also it was so sweet just to hear someone who was like, I just really want to sing to the Lord.
Sara: Yeah.
Sara: right and that was probably beautiful to the lord and that's the point because if our our worship is it's all to him it's all about him it's never
Danny Price: um Yes. Yes.
Sara: It's never about us. It's never supposed to have been about us.
Danny Price: Yeah. So I want, and I want guys to sing more because of that. And I think it's hard and I'm not a great singer myself, but I.
Sara: yeah I think it's.
Danny Price: I resonate with that.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: I want that
Sara: Yeah, I think it's just uncomfortable. too.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: But when I think about like worship, it's not.
Danny Price: ah
Sara: It is bringing an offering to the Lord.
Danny Price: Yeah. Hmm.
Sara: And then it's that's not going to be a comfortable thing every time.
Danny Price: So...
Danny Price: yeah maybe we can fix that somehow i don't know that's that's that's an individual thing but i'm like i don't know for guys just to feel like they have a part with worship or be able to sing more i'm like that's
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: it's very important to have you know guy guys like fathers dad's singing like it's it's a good thing
Sara: yeah
Sara: yeah we're called to make a joyful noise to the lord
Danny Price: Yes. Yes. I agree.
Sara: Come on, man.
Danny Price: Um, Not to say that I'm just all i'm just not picking on all the all the guys. I feel bad. I don't. I'm not picking on all the guys, but I do know, I do notice, I'll i'll look around when I'm running sounds and I do get to see that.
Sara: no I mean... if
Danny Price: And I go, man.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: I think a lot of guys, I think it's hard to know how to sing and it. Maybe it feels less masculine. Maybe it feels kind of sissy to sing.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: I'm like, it's. It's pretty... ah It's a pretty masculine thing if David was doing it. He was one of the more masculine guys out there. so
Sara: That's true.
Danny Price: you know. Anyways, um that's all that I had. Is there anything else that you wanted just to throw in there as we're pretty much wrapping up? um Anything else? Any last minute facts about you that you want people to know?
Sara: Last minute.
Danny Price: Oh, you got engaged.
Sara: for fact
Danny Price: Oh, this is important
Sara: Huh?
Danny Price: You got engaged.
Sara: Oh my gosh, yeah. For those of you who don't know,
Danny Price: Tell us about that. Tell us tell us about that really quick. yeah
Sara: I got engaged to the most amazing man. He's in the Navy.
Danny Price: Yes.
Sara: he's going to flight school we're doing long distance so a lot of people
Danny Price: He's essentially Tom Cruise. hes He looks like Tom Cruise.
Sara: He's pretty much Tom Cruise. He has the aviators. He has the flight suit.
Danny Price: ah Does he really?
Sara: Like just imagine that.
Sara: um But we're doing long distance.
Danny Price: What's his name?
Sara: His name is Owen Merker.
Danny Price: For everyone else.
Sara: a lot of people
Danny Price: Yep.
Sara: don't know him a lot of people didn't even know he existed, which is fair because he's never here. um but we're getting married in june which is very exciting and crazy Um,
Sara: But for those who may be wondering what that means... I will be leaving.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: unfortunately. It absolutely breaks my heart. to be honest with you because it is such a privilege to be able to do what i do i love it i
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Just love all of my volunteers and this church.
Danny Price: Hmm.
Sara: um What? God's got something else somewhere else.
Danny Price: Yeah, you're on you're on to good things.
Sara: so
Danny Price: It'll be it'll be it'll be good.
Sara: Yeah. I have no idea what it looks like, but.
Danny Price: i'm I'm so excited for you.
Sara: Thank you.
Danny Price: No, it'll be, so you'll have such a great time. And you, so we're, so he's in the military and you're, I mean, I've talked with you about this, but just for the people listening, you'll probably move somewhere out East most likely.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: Florida. Maybe Texas. says Maybe Texas, you said? Where are the were the bases?
Sara: Yep.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: Yep.
Danny Price: Okay.
Sara: Hopefully Florida, maybe Texas. We'll find out.
Danny Price: is it you know Is it really only between those? those two, or is there other opportunities?
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: but Okay.
Sara: and
Danny Price: So.
Sara: I'm pretty sure.
Danny Price: And you'll be back.
Sara: But who knows with the military?
Danny Price: I'm sure you'll visit when when when you can.
Sara: Oh yeah.
Danny Price: if if he's on deployment or something.
Sara: Absolutely.
Danny Price: It'll be good to have you back.
Sara: um But yeah. I'm walking into a whole new chapter. And I'm scared, but it's... It's going to be a season of me just. clinging to the lord and trusting in him so
Danny Price: That's so exciting.
Sara: I can never go wrong doing that.
Danny Price: It's going to be good. do you Are you going to try to pursue worship? in another way are you gonna maybe take a break or are you gonna try to like find the church and get plugged in there. and you know do that or are you kind of like we'll see
Sara: You know, I think I am. Gonna take a break for a little bit. I used to be super passionate about writing songs. and i think i've just been so busy so i'm really excited to kind of step back into that and have more time to be able to do that and be creative in that way.
Danny Price: A Sarah Hall original? Or not not Sarah Hall anymore. what whats What's your last name going to be?
Sara: I'm going to be Sarah Erger.
Danny Price: Sarah Erker, a Sarah Erker original.
Sara: Zero. credit.
Danny Price: Dang.
Sara: There might be an original coming soon.
Danny Price: Oh wow.
Sara: At church.
Danny Price: No way.
Sara: Just saying.
Danny Price: For real? Oh that's exciting.
Sara: For real.
Danny Price: That's exciting.
Sara: Yeah. It's in the works.
Danny Price: That's really exciting.
Sara: I'm really excited about it
Danny Price: I'm cool.
Sara: um But yeah.
Danny Price: that was awesome yeah i just wanted to let the audience know like there's you know like and next chapter for you especially about getting married that's so exciting i'm so excited for you guys
Sara: Thank you.
Danny Price: That'll be fantastic.
Sara: We'll be good.
Danny Price: Um. Well, thanks for doing this. i'd I'd love to do this more. I think that that's the plan right now is when we can squeeze it in, you know, Sarah's busy, I'm busy, but when we can do this every once in a while, it does not, we're not going to be able to do it every week, but just to squeeze in a couple other, other songs and talk about it.
Sara: Yeah.
Sara: Absolutely.
Danny Price: um
Sara: And hopefully I'll get better. I'm really good at like stumbling over my words and not being able to get like my thoughts out the way i mean them
Danny Price: did You did great.
Sara: So hopefully that'll get better though.
Danny Price: no that that would that was great it's just cool i think and again i was just i was more wanting to to highlight like you have a lot of thought that goes into this and there's more to the process And I wish people could see this from the outside perspective, looking into like worship.
Danny Price: We, I mean, just from like Sarah's perspective.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: So she. you know, not as only doing. like all her other stuff but like she's planning songs She's having to up like, for example, tell everyone, what do you do to like, what's the process to schedule someone? Like you're putting them on planning center.
Danny Price: and you have to schedule like teams for like weeks and weeks out.
Sara: Yep, so I think we have about... 25 30 people in the worship team total and i'll rotate all of them we usually have like
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: six to eight people every week on stage. um so i'm just scheduling and rotating people i try and be like at least three weeks out in advance
Danny Price: Mm hmm.
Sara: get people their songs so they know what to do.
Danny Price: Yeah.
Sara: um
Danny Price: And then you're on. So we we operate with tracks. um at mountain view which is not and So, you know, just so we're not going to get earful about this. This is not like. ai worship or anything this is just like a background pad and maybe some background instrumental things that that we play along with I say we, I don't play along with it. I just run the sound, but. they play along with.
Danny Price: And so she's having to. making make sure that that's on the right key, send that out to all the volunteers, make sure that that's accurate to what we're actually doing for Sunday, that that's actually.
Sara: mm -hmm
Danny Price: what you know the order of the song because you can take the song and you could have 30 courses in a row if you wanted to.
Sara: Yeah.
Danny Price: um Please don't do that, Sarah. um But you could do that if you wanted to. And so she's having to order all that and then make sure. And then on practice, we're there for an hour and a half and she has to be there early. And then on Sunday, she's getting there.
Danny Price: She's the first one there, last one to leave with Patrick. like There's a lot more that goes into it than just. Oh, you just go up and sing some songs because it's it's so easy to be the worship.
Sara: Yeah. Yeah.
Danny Price: worship director.
Sara: Absolutely. And I hope people know that I really value singing truth as a church too. so like as i'm picking these songs if there's something that i'm like hmm This might be really hard to understand where it could like cause one someone to stumble like we're not gonna I'm gonna try and avoid those things
Danny Price: Yeah. Yeah.
Sara: um because it's important. what we are seeing.
Danny Price: that's but That's really good. That's sweet. Well, awesome. Yeah, that that was the that was my biggest reason for doing this.
Sara: Yep.
Danny Price: I just wanted to like showcase just who you are and like what you what you do, your process. And so people know there's there's there's more to it than just.
Sara: a little behind the scenes.
Danny Price: Oh, that sounded interesting. I'm going to do that.
Sara: I don't just play guitar.
Danny Price: so
Sara: and sing.
Danny Price: You don't. You don't just play the guitar and sing.
Sara: That's That's like five hours of my...
Danny Price: Oh.
Sara: My wig.
Danny Price: So good.
Sara: Anyways, thanks Danny!
Danny Price: Well, cool. Well, hope you guys, and hope you guys enjoyed this. Hope this was helpful. And then, yeah, if you guys you know give some feedback, if you guys want to hear more of this, I think this would be, ah to me, this is so fun to talk about the worship song. So I think we'll do more of this, but give some feedback. We'd love to hear it.
Danny Price: And yeah, we'll ah see you guys. I'm actually going to record an episode with Shane here shortly, but we'll see you guys the next time we do this with Sarah. So.
Sara: See you later.
Danny Price: All right. Thanks, guys. Bye -bye.
Sara: Bye.
