My Experience as Youth Pastor

Yeah so I am just all over the place right now. Fridays I was trying to bring a little more geek, but sadly I started a new series last week instead of the geek because I'm feeling lazy. So now I bring you the geek update on Tuesday. Getchergeekon. (seems like there is probably a convention out there with this name. If not I call dibs because there needs to be one)

I recently, as in last night, found out about a really frigintacular music resource called Groove Shark. Basically it is a music database much like what you might have in the form of your personal music collection. The difference is this system has way more songs than I do and can find new music based on what I am listening to. I've used a few other resources like this but generally they start making recommendations that are nothing like what I want to listen to.

So far this has been a much better engine for finding new songs than other resources I've used in the past. As you add more songs to your listening queue and rate them gets smarter with the "you might like" songs it plays.

It also has some other nice features. There is an online community where you can find and follow other users and shape your listening based on their choices too. It also integrates with various other social networks. You can share what you are listening to via twitter, for example.

The best thing is it is free. They have a small ad banner but whatever. You can also pay $3/month or $30/year for VIP status which gets some extra benefits and removes the ads. This is a really good price if you can't stand even a small add banner and want some of the extra features like first selection of new songs and extra themes.

I'd like to see a few other options, but right now it is clean and works well so I'm not sure if it is a good idea to try and make many changes. One of the things I really think that someone needs to figure out is a mood based play list. I can do it manually but I want to have something a little more intuitive. Basically a way of saying what kind of mood I'm in and then the system noting what songs I start selecting and then making recommends based on that. Next time I select the same mood it should know what I'm interested in listening too and make it happen.

I'd also like a preview of some of the VIP features to see if it is worth my money, but over all I'm really happy with the service, so check it out.

Labels: Geek Alert, Geek Facts, Geek Friday, geeky, Music

I don't have much to say about last night. We had a good time but I really need to get our new united worship band in place. We are shooting for mid June and the guy that has been playing lead guitar for me just hasn't been "feeling it" lately. Very frustrating. We haven't had worship the past 3 weeks so I tried something different expecting the "not feeling it tonight" response from this guy. I took my Kutless CD down and played some songs that we sing during worship off it. I actually had them asking for more so that was good. I also got some more interest in the worship band when I explained that that was close to the sound I'm really looking for personally.

Anyways, last night did have a couple really awesome points. I have been doing this series on refuge and trying to make a point about the difference between the things we try to use when we need to get away and the kind of peace that God can give even though He doesn't take away the circumstances in life. I have used examples from the Bible and my life the past two week but I asked one of the teens to share her testimony last night.

The short version is that she moved here in 7th grade and didn't have any friends. She felt very along and some really bad things happened to her. She started cutting and felt better but kept cutting more and more, deeper and deeper. Eventually they had to rush her to the ER because she had cut too deep into her leg. That didn't stop her though. She started talking to people in church who encouraged her in her walk with God and she started praying more and reading her Bible. She got out of cutting completely because of God.

The whole time everyone listened. I never get everyone to listen. At the end of service I had a few people respond for salvation including one girl that I have really been concerned about. I think what the student said really went to their hearts more than anything I've said this past year.

In other words I'm going to make a point to start having them share their testimonies with each other. I already know who I'm going to next.

Labels: Music, Worship Band, youth service