the sounds of Josh Williams

Creative Sounding Boards

2013-01-02T15:46:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't posted in a while- a lot has happened. The biggest thing right now is that me and my wife just bought a house, but the second right now is the next stage design we are building.

For the past few weeks I have been finding designs, tweaking my own, and building a team to help. Today I designated for finding what lights I need. Supposed to be a simple "just purchase two of these" lights, but it turned into a whole ordeal.

Which lights have the widest angle, which are the brightest, cheapest, accessible: all of these began to flood my mind.

What does a Creative do in times like these?
Go to their sounding board.

My sounding board consists reliably on about three people, but it also consists on whoever is around. The key to a good sounding board is to have a mixture of creative people and non-creative people- I have found.

Today, I called a few of my fellow creatives, but used non-creatives and asked a simple question: "Do you like this? or This?"

Because something could look great to a fellow creative- but the general public might not see it that way, I mean, by definition creative people see things differently.
I don't ask my noncreative friends to try to come up with solutions for me, the same way they don't ask me to do math. I use them to create a well rounded opinion on my ideas.

And that made today successful.

Who is in your creative sounding board?

Owens Assemble!

2012-11-23T10:10:00.001-05:00

Tonight is the Owens family reunion. It is my grandmother's family, and my is it large! My family is hosting it this year- which is irrelevant other than the fact that I didn't want this paragraph to have one sentence.

The reunion is a time when we get to see family we normally don't get to see (which is by definition what a reunion is), but our reunion is also a time when we realize that people we have seen are actually related to us (sadly this has happened to me far too often.... at school, at Catalyst, at the mall.... I'm bad with names, and I'm bad with faces). So every black Friday we fill a church gymnasium, eat to our hearts' content, and share with each other in the past year of our lives.

The Owens family doesn't feel like a normal huge extended family. It is one of the closest families I know. Over the past 16 months- the Holmes clan of the Owens family has felt the loving embrace and prayers so much that it felt like we were just one huge nuclear family.

Happy Thanksgiving

2012-11-22T10:26:00.002-05:00

Remember: you can't be hateful, gotta be thankful!

Sunday Setlist: 11/18

2012-11-18T23:18:00.001-05:00

Lay Me Down- Passion
Your Love Never Fails- Jesus Culture
Mighty To Save- Hillsong
Glory To God Forever- Fee

winter and peppermint feelings: unboxed thoughts

2012-11-17T20:43:00.000-05:00

it is getting cold out here. i don't know where you live, dear reader, but the fact of the matter is the temperature is dropping and unless we change the way we have lived the past six months, we are in trouble.

but temperature is only a part, a fragment. yes, it defines the entire paragraph- but the cold is only the first sentence. winter is not just for coats and gloves and scarves, but for hot drinks, fresh music, and new flavors.

the smell of peppermint in everything, why yes i do love peppermint- thank you so much for asking, reader. peppermint mocha, peppermint sticks, peppermint steak- well maybe not the last one.

the sound of indie folk music that for some reason fits so well into the winter season with its thin sound and calming melodies. i can feel the temperature drop to snow levels as i listen to this playlist now.

everything seems new. not list when spring comes and everything we knew has life breathed back into it, coming to life like a newborn- not like that. no, this is different. this is new in a way similar to when you move to a new town- it has been there for years and years but everything is new to you, in an old sense.

if you have known me for longer than the warmer seasons, you know that i am a fan of jackets, but not a fan of long sleeve shirts that meet the wrist. basically: button downs are rolled up. no exceptions. long sleeve t shirts are reserved for times when i have the flu and am concerned i may be dying. sweaters- negotiable, but at somepoint in the day my elbow must meet the cuff of the shirt.
jackets. jackets everywhere. hoodies and coats and cardigans and blazers. cotton and leather and wool and some sort of material that might be made of picnic blankets.

so what is winter? beyond the cold. is it just the things listed in this poorly organized post? or is it the epicenter of family get togethers? my family is incredibly close, my farthest aunt and uncle live only two hours away. me and my wife haven't gotten to see them as much while we lived in beaufort, but winter was always the signal for family gatherings, from thanksgiving to christmas to family reunions to family additions which coincidentally occurred on a completely different gathering day.

which of these is the reason your heart skips a beat when you feel the temperature drop? maybe all. maybe none. maybe you have a write in option for egg nog and yule logs. maybe your favorite part is the christmas eve eve tradition you have with your best friend where you go to jonesville and exchange gifts. who knows- it isn't for me to decide. but for me, well, it is simply an exciting feeling to feel that first cold and dry breeze come over the mountains.

*i am currently listening to Blaine Hogan's Winter playlist: Winter Is Coming.

Sunday Recap 11-11-12

2012-11-14T15:21:00.003-05:00

So it is a few days old-
but I wanted to review this Sunday's service at Velocity. We finished up our series, "Potential", and Pastor Reggie taught us that we need to break the huddle and actually play the game.

Talking about doing something and doing it is very different. Just ask anyone who has climbed Mount Everest if someone who has talked about climbing is an equal of the one who conquered the mountain. We as Christians need to stop talking about changing the world, stop talking about telling our family and friends about Jesus, and start doing it.

On the musical side- it was so much fun to be back on stage, being part of something greater than myself. The band did an amazing job of playing to the best of their ability while not making it about themselves or ourselves. May God continuously get the glory!

Set List:
Meant To Live- Switchfoot
All Because of Jesus- Fee
Lay Me Down- Passion featuring Chris Tomlin
Give Me Faith- Elevation Worship

Working Again

2012-11-08T19:24:00.002-05:00

I have ended my second week of employment as the worship pastor for Velocity Church. I have had a blast.
I am so blessed to be part of this church, to be part of this movement.

Last week I was busy working on orienting myself with the building and staff and equipment. I didn't lead this past Sunday, but instead ran lights and produced the service. It was very interesting being on the other side of the microphone and stage. We were fortunate enough to have a couple fill in and did a great job.

But this Sunday I am back behind the mic. I have been so excited this week, the potential and possibilities that lie before me with this new venture are unstoppable.

It is also incredible being back in Greenville. This city is where I was bred, where I belong. I am ready for my body to get used to being back to work so I can go explore all the new things!

The next step is buying a house! Right now we are living with my parents, which has been such a blessing, but we definitely are excited to move into our own place, where we can lay down roots.

I will get back into a rhythm of writing posts, including a new (well, taken from other people- like John Dukes) post segment called "Sunday Rewind" where I will review Sunday's service.

We Did It!

2012-10-29T10:46:00.002-04:00

Well we have done it- we have moved out of our house in Beaufort and are on the hunt for a job for Dorothy and a house for us! God has truly provided some amazing things for us the past few months, and I know He will do it again.

I am so excited to be joining the staff at Velocity and cannot wait to begin- I know that God has awesome things in store!

We have incredible family that are letting us either stay with them or store our stuff in their garage- thank you so much!

I am loving being back in Greenville, even if my body is used to more tropical climates (well, at least not cold!)

I am ready for this exciting adventure!

LCC 10-21 Video

2012-10-24T13:43:00.001-04:00

Here is the video of me leading at Lowcountry Community Church in Bluffton, SC

10-21-12 from LowCountry Community Church on Vimeo.

This was my last Sunday at LCC. I had some a great time during my stay- thank you all!

Growing [thank you]

2012-10-20T19:00:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow is my last Sunday at Lowcounty Community Chuch. I have the honor of leading the worship that day as well before moving back to Greenville to take a job as Worship Pastor at Velocity Church in Taylors.

I have been thinking about my six months there for the past week or so. About how I was when I came there- broken, confused, I thought about just giving up the whole ministry life.
And they brought me in, told me to just rest. They wrapped their arms around me and lifted me up.
God has done some amazing things these past six months, and alot of it was because these people were willing to pick me up when I couldn't on my own.

They taught me things I wouldn't have been able to learn if none of this had happened, let me help in raising up of the next generation of students, ha- they even trusted me to design a stage for them!

I can't say thank you enough to Eric, Pastor Jeff, Corey, and the rest of the staff there. Ever. I have made lifelong friends that Dorothy and I are going to greatly miss. I know we will be back to visit as often as we can!

This is a short post because words can't express how thankful I am and how much I have learned. I pray that God uses me the way that He used Lowcountry to heal me.

Greenville, we are coming back!

2012-10-17T17:50:00.000-04:00

I announced yesterday on twitter some news that Dorothy and I are very excited about: we are moving back home to Greenville so that I can be the new worship Pastor of Velocity Church in Taylors.

As I said in a post a week or so ago- we have known we would be moving come Nov 4, and that God had told us to simply wait on Him before freaking out. God truly works all things for our good (Romans 8:28).

I am so excited about what all God is going to do through this opportunity- being back near family and old friends, and being part of an awesome church like Velocity.

We are going to greatly miss all our friends here in Beaufort and Bluffton- but our guest room is always open!

I start my new job November 5th!

This has been such an incredible experience- letting God truly take control and living by faith the past few months- when the pieces come together in this way, all you can do is sit back and say, Wow!

Audio Adrenaline is Back!... i think....

2012-10-12T15:40:00.000-04:00

Here is a new music video project from Audio Adrenaline and their new frontman who you may recognize. Read my thoughts after the video:

First off: Mind Blown

WHAAAAAAATTTTTTTT! (I may or may not have actually screamed that when I saw Kevin Max come on the screen) If you don't know, I am a huge dcTalk fan. It was the first music I ever owned, and I still have every album. I followed each member after they broke up, but Kevin Max was my favorite. When I started getting into more rock sounds, Audio Adrenaline provided me the sound I needed. So to see the two join is, well, woah. I think. The new sound sounds really cool, but lets be honest. This is not "Mighty Good Leader".... And this is no "Jesus Freak"

Secondly

This is Audio Adrenaline. But is it really? The only remaining member is the Bass player. The guitarist is from Superchick, the drummer is from Bleach. It sounds and looks like an entirely new band. The sound changes, the writing changes, the genre changes. The name remains. I love the video. I love the song. I love the mission behind it.

I am very anxious to hear more of the Audio Adrenaline Part Two
Note: album is expected, according to Jesus Freak Hideout, Spring of 2013

A Few Cruise Pictures

2012-10-06T23:54:00.000-04:00

Dorothy and I and a few friends took a cruise this week to the Grand Cayman Islands and Cozumel. Here are a few of my favorite pictures

Faith.

2012-09-30T17:16:00.000-04:00

God has been teaching us a lesson on faith lately. On trusting Him before thinking about what kind of plan b we have.

The biggest one lately was delivered to us on September 4th. Our lease is up, and our landlord told us she could no longer afford to rent out our house, and that she would really like it if we could move out by November 4th. It wasn't anything personal, and we have no hard feelings about it- but we are moving by November 4th.

Where to, you ask? That's a great question. Normally that is the first question. For us, right now, it is the last question. I truly believe that God is doing this to tell us: "hey- I have something for you."

Now- we do have a couple possibilities that God has begun to lay out- but that is all in His timing. And we have decided that we are willing to follow His guide, no matter where it leads. If we are called out of this area- it will be incredibly hard to say goodbye to the friends we have made here, but our eyes are on His guiding hand.

What I wanted to talk about was faith, not moving.
When I got the call from the landlord- I will admit, I freaked out. But I slowly began to realize (and I have to remind myself of this every night before I go to sleep)- that God knew about all of this before He created the world. He has had a plan from the very beginning. How dare I freak out and demand an answer to a question I just walked into. That's like enrolling in a Trigonometry classon the last day and complaining to the teacher when I don't understand. (Also- I'm bad at math)

God has a plan. He has a plan for where we will be living come November 5th. He has a plan for you too. Over the past six months I have learned that God knows way more than I do about my circumstances. Things that happened that I thought were horrific things turned out to be some pretty great opportunities.

Whatever you are going through- know that God has a plan. Not one that He came up with last night, but one that He meticulously planned out an eternity ago. One that brings glory to His name. Romans 8:28 guarantees that.

New Stage Design!

2012-09-28T19:34:00.001-04:00

I had the honor of designing the newest stage design at Lowcountry Community Church. I wanted to utilize the dark space and bring bright pops of epic color.

We built the frames out of 2x4s and the bars are made from underlayment sheets that were painted white.
The glow under the risers is made from wax paper and sheer fabric.

Everything is lit with a mixture of LED COLORado 1's and 2's. We used one on each of the back boards above them, and five onto the band
Total cost of everything came to around $300.000

Everything turned out better than I could have dreamed, and I cannot thank everyone who helped enough.

LCC Worship Video 9-16

2012-09-19T14:18:00.004-04:00

I got the joy to lead at Lowcountry Community this past Sunday. Here is the video:

9-16-12 from LowCountry Community Church on Vimeo.

Worship Beyond Song

2012-09-03T16:43:00.001-04:00

When I, as a minister, say the word "Worship"- our minds trigger a vision of singing praises. We know in our mind that worship is more than songs sung on Sunday. Many worship leaders, such as myself, even like to use the term "lifestyle worshipers". When asked to define this term- we say "it is when someone worships God with more than song, but with their life".

But what does this entail? How does someone become a "lifestyle worshiper"? What exactly is worship?

Matt Chandler says,

The root of Christian worship, then, is acknowledging, submittting to, and enjoying the supremecy of God's glory. In all things.

Worship is enjoying something at a high respect, at its essence. We have a choice- we can worship really whatever we like. From sports teams, to superheros, to celebrities, to "celebrities" that we aren't sure how they became celebrities, to technology, to social media, to food, to music and bands, to anything where enjoyment can be had.

And so, as Christians, we have an opportunity to worship, to enjoy and submit to, the glory of God. This can be done in song, yes. But in our daily life- how do we apply this?

By enjoying the life that God gave us. And in that enjoyment- acknowledge the fact that this was not given to us so that we would fill a void in God's heart. Acknowledge God's grace in every day occurances. Even to the seemingly mundane like the fact that color exists- give God glory!

When we take our worship beyond songs sung on Sunday morning, beyond a genre of music, we will truly begin to experience what it means to worship God.

Relevance, Creativity, and God

2012-08-30T21:09:00.001-04:00

I recently read a quote.

"God wants us to take art seriously and understand that everytime the Church creates something, it reflects on Him personally." - Josh Loveless

I have to say first off- that over the past few years, I have seen a reformation in creativity in the Church. Churches are taking creativity and making it their own, and I am so glad.

But until then, and still in a majority of places- there isn't creativity as much as there is Copy and Paste. See something, like something, copy something. Sometimes we give the "if it isn't broke- don't fix it" excuse. And that works, if the copy matches standards with the original. More often than not it doesn't.

Back when I was a youth pastor, I wanted lights in my youth room to create a "stage area". I found a light set that was handbuilt in a closet, and set it up in a way that was meant to mimic what I had seen before. If turned out horrible. I put painted flood lights in them, and sat them right behind me on my guitar amp pointed directly into the eyes of students. Looking back now, I am mortified! But I saw something in culture that I lazily thought would be cool and "create an atmosphere", and did it poorly. The even worse part was the the room we were in had so much potential for original creativity that I couldn't see because I was too focused on copying something else.

I'm sure you have heard a parody Christian song sometime in your life, you know- Top 40 hits with the lyrics changed to Christian themed. I don't mean the next statement in a mean way- but when did the church become like a dad making lame jokes to his teenage kids?

Now, I also want to say- the Gospel will always be relevant. The story of God is always relevant. This challenge of relevancy is not on God's part- it is us. It is the church that has slacked in staying relevant, following the wind as the speeding car of culture passes by.

We need to step it up. Yes, notice I said WE, not the church, not you. We are all in this together.

God wants our best. He doesn't demand perfection from us. He simply wants the best we can do. So let's stop lazily stealing ideas and being even lazier in our execution of them. We can do better than taking a poorly made lighting rig set up on a guitar amp.

Our God is the ultimate Creator. He created everything. Culture gets their inspiration from God. Whether they admit it or not- it comes from God's creation. So why are we, God's people, copying culture, taking secondhand ideas when we serve The Creator?

Let's create something new. Let's take a risk on something original. Let's make the ultimate Creator proud!

Look Out Australia, here she comes!

2012-08-26T18:15:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow my sister, Mollie, leaves for Australia for a semester. So first off- Australia, you have been warned! Ah- I kid, I kid.

And I know I am going to see you tomorrow for a short time, Mollie- but here are some words that I won't be able to say tomorrow:

Mollie,
I can't believe you are going to be gone for so long! To think that we will forgo an entire season without seeing each other is crazy. I am going to miss you a lot. You already know this, and I know you will miss me. I know you will have moments of homesickness- but I want you to press on.

Take in all the memories you can! Not just with your eyes and camera- but with your hands, your ears, smell something new, hear the sound of a koala making pancakes outside your window, ride in a kangaroo's pouch, put another shrimp on the barby(I haven't done much research on Australia, so I am picturing my fantasy Australia, and I assume these are all common things.) Experience life in a way you never have before.

I can't believe you are going to celebrate your 21st birthday while you are gone. I won't even be able to blow candle wax in your face! You are an adult, a grown up who has turned from a sweet little girl into a beautiful and smart woman. I am incredibly proud of you.
(Feel free to forget some of these things, I may use them on your birthday card....)

When you come back- schedule off a week without interruption so we can catch up. I can't wait to hear the stories and memories you have made, silly things you have done, and new abbreviations you have made!

I am very blessed to have you as my sister. Have the time of your life. Take in the memories. I love you. I can't wait for you to come back :)

life.

2012-08-24T18:40:00.003-04:00

Sometimes in life we don't get what we want. Disappointment comes. Tears fall.
This is life. As we know it. As our fathers knew it. As every human that has found a place on this earth has known- life comes with disappointment.

But it is only half the story. The other part- the part that keeps us driving- is hope. Hope. Life is drenched in hope. Of course- it has to be, a life filled with disappointment would mean we would eventually stop trying, stop dreaming, and give up. Hope offers a chance to dream, a chance to keep going. Does this lead to disappointment? Sometimes. Sometimes it leads somewhere beautiful and amazing.

And that is the beautiful part- the trying to understand where the road will lead. We stand at a crossroads- does it lead to joy or does it lead to heartbreak? I can't answer that- but I can answer that either road- whichever you choose- will have hope drenched in it.

Hope isn't half of the story- it is the entire story. It is the story that Jesus painted for us. He never told us life would be easy- He never said it would be full of happiness. But we live a life of hope. Hope in Christ. Faith. And at the end of our life- when we take our final breath- hope ends. There is no need for hope after life- we in Christ see our Savior face to face, immediately taken to Him.

So are you willing, after feeling disappointment, after letting your tears stain your face- to hope again?
I can say, after searching my heart- after doing this very thing- that I can. Troubles will come, but we hold a hope greater than the troubles of this world. We hold the Truth.

If you are going through one of life's disappointments- if you don't see the hope on the other side- please talk to someone. Feel free to email me. Tell me your story. We aren't called to go through life alone.

And believe me- hope will come.

Playlist:
Beth/ Rest- Bon Iver
Born and Raised- John Mayer
Tennessee Line- Daughtry

Yesterday

2012-08-23T17:43:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday. Many people have asked me what I did, what I got, that kind of stuff. Well I had the joy and honor to lead worship for The Way- the high school ministry at LCC. I can't think of a better present than getting to hold the door for 50-75 students as they enter in and worship their God.

Too often we as church leaders forget about the teenagers. I mean, we give them their own room and some furniture no one else wanted, and we let them have fun trips. We even give them great discipleship. But how often do we pour into them and teach them about worship?

Do you know what happens to teenagers that don't learn about worship? Look at your average church building on a Sunday- the room is full of adults who never learned what worship is- and view it as a singalong time before the sermon. As a time for someone on stage to pretend to be a rock star. And they miss out on just how vital worship is to our spiritual lives.

This isn't calling out anyone saying that they have done a poor job at that- not at all. This is just a way of me saying how blessed I was to be part of teaching these students a little bit.

Today's students are going to be adults very soon. And to see students begin to understand the idea of worship at this age, is incredible. I can't think of a better birthday present.

24.

2012-08-21T22:52:00.001-04:00

I sit here, an hour and a half away from 24. So much has happened in this past year.
I feel like I have learned so much this past year- about myself. About life. About other people.

I have learned to treasure every moment with the people we love.
I have learned to realize that God has blessed me with so much.

I can't wait to see what this next year has in store.

Sounds.

2012-08-20T12:58:00.001-04:00

Sounds make us do funny things, don't they. They instill emotion, they invoke confidence, they offer communication when words fail (I am separating words from sounds). A primal cry can show more insight than words sometimes.

And music pounces on that. A fast and pounding drum beat can set your heart racing, almost in time, giving you the impression you can do just about anything. A crying guitar- like I am hearing as I type this on John Mayer's song "Gravity" of the "Where the Light Is" album- creates a feeling of desperation, and turns the words of one man into a connection into the emotions of a complete stranger listening.

Think of you favorite movie- now imagine it without a soundtrack, without any music accompaniment. Weird, right? What would Star Wars be like without the infamous score to let you know when the Empire is approaching, when a victory has occurred.

Music is powerful. It gives us the drive to keep running at the gym when we just want to stop. It helps us heal when our soul is hurt. It speaks out against social injustice.

Today, listen for the music. Sometimes it is on the radio, sometimes in a movie. Sometimes it is sent from God in the form of beautiful nature. Every sound created to cause a feeling. Every sound a moment that is unique. Don't let that pass you by.

Playlist:
"Am I Still On"- 1969
"Gravity (Live)"- John Mayer
"Friend Like You"- Joshua Radin
"Darlin' Do Not Fear"- Brett Dennen

Heaven. (free writing no 1)

2012-08-04T01:33:00.000-04:00

Heaven comes to us in small pieces- it shines in times of pain and in times of joy. It leaves much to the imagination because our imagination can paint the truest form of something no one has ever seen.

It leaves room for interpretation. Not that humankind is painting what the Bible isn't- not necessarily the Heaven where we will spend eternity praising the One. More like the heaven where the reflection of the One is seen. His glory. His love. It can be as grand as seeing the birth of your child to as seemingly insignificant as watching an old couple hold hands as they celebrate their anniversary. It can be as subtle as passing someone as smiling to as noticed as winning a medal for your country

it can be large and normal- seeing bits of Heaven. Like the changing of the seasons. Like waking up in the arms of your spouse loving every moment you have been together.

Because in those moments- those seemingly insignificant moments that shape and form you- in those moments where time seems to slow down, even if just for a second- there is love at the heart of it.

Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe Im rambling. But love seems to be more than just a feeling. More than just a song topic. More than hearts carved on countless trees. More than me+u=4ever. There is something amazing here. Something supernatural. As of secret messages from God can be deciphered from our daily lives. Maybe in those moments- those silly moments- we can be the most honest.

maybe we can bare our souls to each other like never before. Tell a stranger a secret no one else knows. Share a laugh with a friend.

we can see for miles. We can see where we will end up. This place we will soon call home. My prayer is that when I look back at my journey- my adventure through life- I wont be surprised when I get there. I pray that I have seen enough glimpses of Heaven in my life that i can stand- finally home. Finally arrived. Finally there. Completely and utterly worn out from the amazing journey and in awe of what lies ahead.

Playlist:

C'est la mort- civil wars

Daughters (acoustic live) John Mayer

Paris sunrise no 7- Ben Harper

Holocene- Bon Iver

LCC 7.22.12 Worship Video

2012-08-02T11:21:00.001-04:00

Here is the video of the service I led at Lowcountry Community Church July 22. All of this you can tell from the title of the post, title of video, and watching the video itself, but I wanted to write this as well.

7-22-12 from LowCountry Community Church on Vimeo.

Set List:
God Is Alive (Fee)
Let God Arise (Chris Tomlin)
Jesus Messiah (Chris Tomlin)
I Stand Amazed (Charles Hutchison Gabriel and Chris Tomlin)
Always (Kristian Stanfill)