Drumming for worship has got to be one of the funnest and most fulfilling activities that a human being can do, in my oh-so-humble opinion. Granted, I do make a living hitting the ol’ skins so I may be a tad biased, but my point still stands. I mean, at drumming’s most basic level, who doesn’t like to hit things really hard and make loud noises? It fulfills a childlike desire to cause chaos…controlled chaos ideally, but thats easier said than done.

Unfortunately, hitting on a drum loud and fast does not qualify one as a good drummer. In fact, I would venture to say that a sign of a good drummer is nearly the opposite: being able to control one’s volume whilst maintaining speed consistency. Let me “unpack” this, as they say.

First and foremost, a drummer’s job is to hold down the tempo for the rest of the band. If the drummer isn’t doing this basic task, everything falls apart in a heap of jumbled notes and missed cues. You can have all the fancy Neil Peart fills and Carter Beauford stick maneuvers, but if you’re not keeping tempo well, you’re showboating your way to a frustrated band. Not only that, but if your primary venue for playing is in a place of worship, you’re not only distracting the band, but you’re distracting congregants from focusing on the real object of their worship: Jesus Christ.

The solution is simple: Play to a click. Some songs may require the click to be set to quarter notes, while others require eighth-note-separation to continue hearing the click through the band. Regardless of note-length-preference, playing to a click will make the task of locking in with a drummer much easier for the rest of the band, and certainly helps lessen distractions for congregants with a musical ear.

Chances are, every drummer has heard the dreaded phrase, “Yeah…if you could play a little softer, that’d be great…” in some fashion. We all hate it, and we all just wish sound guys and complainers would make peace with the fact that music is best heard at ear-piercing decibels. However, as much as we wish the world were a giant rock concert, that’s not realistic for every situation and every venue. To be a truly diverse drummer, one must gain control over their strike velocity, and learn to play just as well with less “umph”.

But it isn’t as simple as just playing softer – there’s more to it than that. For instance, hit cymbals with different strength than you would the snare and toms so they don’t drown everything out. Maintain volume levels when transitioning through a drum fill so you don’t scare the pants off of those around you. Learn the art of Dynamics. I could go on and on about this, but the point is this: volume control, volume control, volume control. It really is the easiest way to identify a seasoned drummer.

In the end, worship drummers should desire two things: To worship Jesus with their playing, and to help others to focus on Jesus in worship as they do so. The former is a matter of the heart, while the latter is a matter of practice…and minimizing the chaos in both the latter and in the former will result in one of the most fulfilling activities that a human being can do (in my oh-so-humble opinion).

1. That the Holy Spirit would take the gospel truths in these songs and change people as he uses them to illuminate Christ to their hearts.

2. That the Lord would bless this work and cause its message to spread as far into the nations as possible for the glory of Jesus Christ and the joy of all people.

3. That those who have not trusted Jesus for salvation would hear this album and be wrecked out, brought to repentance, and reconciled to God through Christ.

4. That worship leaders and pastors across the earth would hear it and be refreshed by inner revival and renewed passion for their first Love.

5. That those who are struggling with sin would use these songs as hope-filled weapons of faith to fight their sin and know that God is better.

6. That people would not steal or endlessly spotify this music, but help fund our ongoing work of ministry.

7. That God would get every drop of glory out of all of this. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name be the glory!

Grace & Peace,
Stephen Miller

Revelation 21:1-7

Creator God, a helpless babe
Has come into the world He made
Relinquished royal privilege
To come to us as God made flesh
Fully God, yet fully man
That each of us be born again
Born of a virgin, to David’s throne
A throne of straw in David’s home
Born as all the prophets said
Without sin or its deadly effects
To a world suffering under sin and death

Humble and lowly, he came to save
Giving life to all who the Father gave
With Gospel news, and Gospel grace
His righteousness to take our place
Our sins traded for his crown
Our death taken for his renown
That angels and men in chorus could sing
“Glory to the Risen King!”
And all things groaning to be restored
Would suffer under sin and death no more
A new Heaven and Earth, with Him as our Lord
Our Sun and Moon forevermore!
For He is the light that lights eternity
And he came to rescue – Let all creation sing!

Psalm 143 by stephenmiller

I will think of all you’ve done
How you saved me In your mercy
When darkness pursued
I could run to you For my refuge

Don’t hide now – Show your face

I’m calling out to you
Hear my prayer For your name’s sake
With arms stretched high
I lift my soul To you

I will think of all you’ve done
When my troubles Overwhelm me
When the enemy pursues
And my soul is crushed I’ll sing

Don’t hide now – Show your face

I’m calling out to you
Hear my prayer For your name’s sake
With arms stretched high
I lift my soul To you

And my soul thirsts, My soul thirsts
For you, For you

Don’t hide now – Show your face

I’m calling out to you
Hear my prayer For your name’s sake
With arms stretched high
I lift my broken soul to you

I Still Remember by stephenmiller

I still remember first time we met
It was love at first sight of your golden blond hair
The sound of your laughter
The way you wore white
And I knew I was in for
The ride of my life

I still remember the first time we kissed
The smell of mint and Chapstick
The taste of your lips
That look in your eye & how it drew me in
I knew I was a goner
And my cover was thin

Cause I, I loved you
Yes I, I loved you

I still remember when we said “I do.”
With flowers, friends and family
Surrounding us in pews
Your smile through your tears
The way you wore white
And I knew that I’d love you
For the rest of my life

And I, I love you
And I, I love you

And when we grow old
In our then weathered skin
Our love will be stronger than when we began
When our eyes start to fail
When our hair is snow white
We’ll look back and remember our truly blessed life

Cause I will still love you
Yes I will still love you

Somewhat uncharacteristic of my writing (which is why I love 7in7), it’s more of a song of anguish, but I think in a lot of ways it is written like some of the lamenting psalms of David… I think of Jesus in Gethsemane crying out in such intense anguish pleading with God.

It’s okay to be real with God… I’m pretty sure He’s big enough. I just felt the need to write a song about brokenness and finding Christ there.

Hurry Now by stephenmiller

If we are being honest
I’m not okay
If we are being honest
I’ve never felt so lonely
I’ve never felt so broken

No matter how I try to pick up the pieces
And fix the cracks in my heart
I stop and stare at the wall – just an empty canvas
Can’t help but feel its barrenness

But I know that you
Have been here too
Rejected and mistreated
So you stand with me
To lift me out
To lift me out
But could you hurry now?

Searching to find the bright side
A silver line on the clouds
Cause I know you’re riding on them
But it’s so dark in this light now

Imagining all the ways that I could spin it
But nothing will suffice
Seems absurd to call this a happy living
So hard to see the point sometimes

God I know that you have been here too
Rejected and mistreated
WIll you come to me and rescue me
Lift me out
Please hurry now

Depths & Heights by stephen-13

What depth has my depravity
But OH! What height has your grace
Oh Beauty conquer brokenness
Subduing all my shame

Rapture me with your delights
Fill my soul up with your fire
Satisfy this ever-wandering heart

What depths from which you’ve pulled me out
But OH! What heights we’ll ascend
The Majesty of your renown
I’ll sing for days without end

Rapture me with your delights
Fill my soul up with your fire
Satisfy this ever-wandering heart

Sing for Joy for Love has come
For Love has come to save
Sing for joy for He has come
To lift us from the grave

You Are Great by stephenmiller

Oh the miracle of this brand new heart
With a mighty hand you’ve made
And To think about your eternal power
How could my heart not sing

Lord you are great
So great things I will pray
Lord you are great
And greatly to be praised!

What a miracle You will split the sky
And the dead in Christ will raise
To the glory of Our risen Lord
And forever we will praise

Lord you are great
So great things I will pray
Lord you are great
And greatly to be praised!

Nothing is too much for you
And nothing is too great.
You alone are strong enough to save