Voices In My Head (The Rick Lee James Podcast)

On this episode of Voices In My Head our guest is Dr. Neelam Uppal.   Dr. Uppal is an author, a speaker, and an activist for women's rights. Originally from East Indian, she currently resides in New York City as an infectious disease specialist. A survivor of both domestic abuse and workplace bullying, Dr. Uppal and is working to help others overcome their own experiences with sexual harrassment by sharing her story of overcoming as a female in a male dominated field.   Dr. Uppal is always look for allies in her quest for equality and she can be contacted directly by Email at nneelu123@aol.com

Live from the Church of the Nazarene 2017 General Assembly in Indianapolis: Rick Lee James and Brannon Hancock present Hymn Adaptation and Modernization. Part of the Spirit and Truth mini-conference sponsored by NNU Wesley Center and Nazarene Theological Seminary.

  Brannon Hancock and Andrew Garcia join Rick Lee James for a conversation on worship in the context of small, medium, and large churches. Recorded live and the Indana Convention Center at the General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene.

On this episode we focus in on the ancient fourfold pattern of worship: 1.) Gathering 2.) Word 3.) Table 4.) Sending   This ancient pattern of worship can help restore a lack of balance to our modern worship services by helping us move away from a personality driven service, to a Trinity centered service that's involved the entire congregation in communion with God.   For you, the listeners of Voices In My Head (The Official Podcast of Rick Lee James), Audible is offering a free audiobook download with a free 30-day trial to give you the opportunity to check out their service. I Personally recommend Wonder by R. J. Palacio. You can download Wonder or another audiobook free by trying audible.com. To download your free audiobook today go to audibletrial.com/VoicesInMyHead.   

Voices In My Head Podcast Episode #211 with guest Stu G The 5-star-acclaimed, multi-artist Beatitudes album made its debut on Yahoo! Music and released to digital and physical retailers worldwide from Stugiology Music with management, marketing and distribution through The Fuel Music. The album, which showcases 18 new tracks (plus 2 bonus tracks) from multiple GRAMMY and Dove Award-winning artists, leaders in their respective genres of Christian/Worship music, is called “uplifting and inspiring” by Entertainment Weekly, is featured along with Sheryl Crow, Incubus, Lana Del Rey and others in Apple Music's April 21 newsletter, and is JesusFreakHideout's first 5-star review of 2017.   Featured on the cover of the current Christian Musician magazine, and with a CCM Magazine cover story set for this month amidst other features and reviews, the Beatitudes album is part of The Beatitudes Project (www.thebeatitudesproject.com, #TheBeatitudesProject), which is also a book, Words From The Hill (An Invitation to the Unexpected) available now from NavPress, and a documentary film, View From the Hill, currently in production. It is the culmination of GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning musician, producer and author Stu Garrard’s (Stu G) 15-year excavation of these “blessings at the bottom of life.”   “The guitarist and songwriter Stu G has spent the last two decades traveling the world to understand how poverty, prostitution, drug addiction, and sex trafficking have afflicted society globally. But he’s turned those learning experiences into something uplifting and inspiring,” writes Entertainment Weekly as Yahoo! Music lauds The Beatitudes Project as “inspired by a rock star’s two decades of world travel, and his encounters with extreme wealth and even greater poverty – both physical and emotional.”   Along his journey, Garrard met amazing, present day peacemakers in Israel and Palestine and writes about their stories in his “Peacemakers—Living in the Contested Space” chapter of Words From The Hill. The stories include those of Robi Damelin, an Israeli living in Tel Aviv whose son was killed by a Palestinian sniper in 2002, Israeli Roni Keidar, who sees rockets made from lampposts fall on her farmland, indiscriminately killing workers who are like family to her, Palestinian Daoud Nassar, a farmer who refuses to be a victim, refuses to hate, refuses to be an enemy, Palestinian Sami Awad, a Christian and founder of Holy Land Trust, and Todd Deatherage of The Telos Group, which works to equip Americans to build a transformative pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, pro-peace movement.   “We have to walk into the conflicted spaces and face those things and say, ‘no, I’m going to create a new future, and a new story.’ That’s what peacemaking does,” says Garrard in a video featured on his Facebook page.   Can you meet me in the middle where the light don’t shine Where there are no sides Between you and I Can you meet me in the middle cos we got to find Find another way (Beatitudes rock anthem “In The Middle” sung by Garrard)   In addition to peacemakers, The Beatitudes Project reveals a wide world of connected stories: real people from all faiths and walks of life who embody mercy, poverty, meekness, the hungry and thirsty, the mourners, and the pure in heart—as seen, heard and experienced through a 21st century lens.   Video stories behind several of the songs featured on the Beatitudes album are highlighted on Garrard’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/stugworld, including the songs featuring Amy Grant (“Morning Light”), Michael W. Smith (“Carry On”), Martin Smith (“Holy Troublemakers”), Hillsong UNITED (“The View from Here”), Matt Maher with additional vocals by Audrey Assad (“Oh Mercy”), John Mark McMillan (“Heaven Is Around Us”) and Propaganda (“Make A Little Trouble”).   In addition to the artists aforementioned, featured on the Beatitudes album are All Sons & Daughters, Amanda Cook, The Brilliance, Anthony Skinner, Terrian Bass and Becky Harding. Collectively, these artists have sold more than 62 million records, won 11 Grammy, 90 Dove Awards and amassed dozens of hit songs and millions of followers on social media.   “The Beatitudes Project is meant to be a reset button in a world plagued with violence and division,” says Garrard. “These upside-down Jesus announcements on a hillside by the Sea of Galilee in Matthew 5 where Jews, Greeks, Romans and people of all ethnicities were gathered are a reminder that there is another way.”   About Stugiology Music: Stugiology Music is a record label formed by Stu Garrard, who is perhaps best-known as the guitarist / songwriter for the RIAA Certified Gold-selling, GRAMMY-nominated and Dove Award-winning British band Delirious?. He is also a founding member of One Sonic Society (although no longer with the band) and recorded and released his first solo project in 2013, Of Burdens, Birds, and Stars. When not touring with Michael W. Smith or adding his sonic paint to Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Meredith Andrews, All Sons & Daughters, Amy Grant and many others’ recordings, Garrard is writing, recording, speaking, leading worship and working with JHS on a custom line of guitar pedals. He lives in Nashville with his wife Karen. For all the latest Stu Garrard news and tour information, go to www.stugworld.com.   About The Fuel Music: Established in 2008, The Fuel Music & Management Co., LLC, is a leading artist management and artist solutions company that independently distributes music internationally. Based in Tennessee, the Fuel team brings nearly 70 years of combined music industry experience in record label operations, major label distribution and marketing, and artist management for artists ranging from upstart bands to GRAMMY Award nominated, multi-platinum artists. More information on the company can be found at www.thefuelmusic.com.   About NavPress: The NavPress mission is to advance the calling of The Navigators by bringing biblically rooted, culturally relevant, and highly practical products to people who want to know and love Christ more deeply. Through The Message Bible and other insightful resources, NavPress seeks to bring positive spiritual movement to peoples’ lives. In January 2014, NavPress entered into an alliance with Tyndale House Publishers to strengthen and better position NavPress and its rich content for the future. NavPress provides books and other content that bring spiritual impact, life transformation, and help lead in the mission of making disciples. A NavPress resource published in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., NAVPRESS and the NAVPRESS logo are registered trademarks of NavPress, The Navigators, Colorado Springs, CO.

It's Pentecost Sunday! Worship leaders, lead today like you expect something to happen. It’s Pentecost, it’s Jubilee. If your church is dull today, that’s not the Holy Spirit’s fault. The gospel is never dull and of all days, it won’t be dull today. It’s the birthday of the church!  Terrorists won’t keep us from our worship, in fact, our worship reveals them as the phonies they are. The Holy Spirit is more powerful than any bomb they could ever think of detonating. Karl Barth said, “The church must not allow itself to become dull, nor its services dark and gloomy. It must be claimed by, and proclaim the lordship of God…rather than the lordship of the devil or capitalism or communism or human folly and wickedness in general.” Dullness is the gift of the Devil, not the Holy Spirit. At the first Pentecost of the Church everybody thought the believers were drunk because they were partying so hard and calling everybody from every nation to join in. If the Holy Spirit is leading, it won’t be boring, and it won’t leave anyone out. For the love of God, lead your people well today. It’s Pentecost, it’s Jubilee. Slaves are set free, sins are forgiven, the Holy Spirit is poured out in our hearts! Hallelujah! He is Risen!   https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/

Voices In My Head Podcast Episode #209: Are Hymnbooks The MySpace of the Church?

At the 2017 National Worship Leader Conference in Virginia I sat down with three members of the band, Brothers McClurg, to talk about worship, artistry, ministry, and recording. Listen in as we dine on Eastern Cuisine and share a great conversation.   -RLJ

 This week we tackle the role of public scripture reading in worship. I hope you'll find it to be a useful resource. -Rick Lee James    "The reading of Scripture holds a central place in Christian worship. Every week the word of God becomes flash again as the words of the biblical text or read aloud. Those who take on the responsibility of reading scripture in public do so  knowing it's importance,  but rarely having the chance to train in how to do it better. Most readers have never been given the opportunity to consider how each act of public reading of Scripture is an interpretation of the text, nor have they been given the tools for an effective and faithful  Reading performance." From the Book, Public Reading of Scripture by Clayton R. Schmit.   For you, the listeners of Voices In My Head (The Official Podcast of Rick Lee James), Audible is offering a free audiobook download with a free 30-day trial to give you the opportunity to check out their service. To download your free audiobook today go to www.audibletrial.com/VoicesInMyHead. Again, that's www.audibletrial.com/VoicesInMyHead for your free audiobook.    

 Do we hear God in silence?  Do we as a people spend enough time in silence to even know what silence sounds like?  What if God speaks in what is not heard?    This  episode is intended to be a discussion starter about the place of silence in our lives, in our worship, and in our world. Join in on the conversation by emailing Rick@RickLeeJames.com, Tweeting @RickLeeJames, or by posting on Facebook and tagging Rick Lee James.   Blessings, RLJ   Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/VoicesInMyHead . Over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. For you, the listeners of Voices In My Head (the Official Podcast of Rick Lee James), Audible is offering a free audiobook download with a free 30-day trial to give you the opportunity to check out their service. I personally recommend My Adventures with God by Stephen Tobolowsky available at Audible.com. You can download My Adventures With God or another audiobook free by trying audible.com. To download your free audiobook today go to audibletrial.com/VoicesInMyHead. Again, that's audibletrial.com/VoicesInMyHead for your free audiobook.