Notes From The Webinar

Andy Park began in the Vineyard church in 1975. His musical influences were 2nd Chapter Of Acts Maranatha and Hosanna Integrity Music. He attended a church with Keith Green and sat under his teaching and worship leading. Each of those people impacted him greatly.

Before too long Andy was leading in larger groups, writing songs and singing in local churches around town. That part of his life lasted for about 10 years before ever having a song published.

In 1983 he moved to Santa Barbara and started to help with a church plant. Around 1986, after moving to another church plant, he started touring with John Wimber of the Vineyard movement. Seeing people healed and meeting the Lord all over the world. That time was an experience of God's supernatural touch all over the world.

Next month marks the 40th anniversary of worship leading for Andy Park (October 2015). He has been committed to his calling as a musician all the way through the years.

Andy received a supernatural healing about a year ago from extreme tendinitis and felt that it was God's way of saying 'I want to relieve you of this pain but I want to give you many more years of using your hands.'

Andy walks us through his ministry and shares with us what the focus of the seasons of the last 40 years has looked like.

The First 10 Years

• Foundations
• Building character
• Getting motives purified
• Getting to know God
• Felt called to be faithful with what God gave
• This is when Andy wrote 100's of songs and recordings

The Next 15 Years

• Started recording with Vineyard
• Playing concerts and conferences of 1000's of people all around the world
• Andy became more visible - Now that you are known, what are you going to do with that?
• Repentance was key in these years - 'Man is tested by the praise he receives' (Proverbs)
• There was also a struggle in competition between comparing against other worship leaders.
• The success of these years was all due to repentance
• The motivation was to please God

This Last 15 Years

• Touring has slowed down
• Conferences are smaller
• Worship venues are smaller
• Many of the involvements today are volunteer, you do it because the Lord led there, not to get paid.
• Part of church planting in many small churches. Struggling to get off the ground. Some lasting years others lasting a short period of time.

Life is a test and a trust. Every one of those phases, Andy felt tested and to live life in an integral way.

Songwriting on the Latest Album

Breath Of Heaven, the latest release from Andy Park, was the first recording project that Andy has done since 2008. Many times over the last 10 years he said to the Lord, "Whatever you want, I don't need to keep writing and recording." When you lay something down and it keeps bouncing back and opportunities keep presenting themselves, it becomes undeniable that God is still with you and still inspiring you.
Sometimes we buy into the world's model of discriminating against older generations performing. The world worships young and attractive singers.It is a ridiculous notion that your worship leading ends in your 40's. Why would you quit? You continue to get better as a leader if you continue to do it.

Now that Andy leads worship in an environment that is young adult centered, he finds he has to be relevant. In order to serve the church, he does familiar material. That sometimes does not mean you use primarily your own. You have to watch for the songs that really work and using those songs.

As an example, Andy likes to looks at the life of King David. The church is full of people. Wherever there are people, there is going to be conflict. Even in the best times and most dynamic times, there is always people doing hurtful/wrong things around you. people will let you down, no matter what. You are going to have to practice the act of forgiving and loving people, even when they have not earned the right of that forgiveness. really we are all just doing our best to move forward in our walk with Christ. Forgiving people when they hurt you.

Jesus was the most under appreciated person in His ministry. If you go back to "what is my reason for being here?". If it is to serve the Lord, then you are going to go through hard times, you are going to be hurt, life situations will change.

The New Album

We asked Andy to share about song of the songs on this new project that stand out and represent this current season of life.

My Portion:
This song was written out of the question 'What is going to satisfy me?'

Breath Of Heaven:
This song was written last fall as part of this powerful time of God's visitation meeting me powerfully in my personal worship and songwriting times. The Lord got a hold of me and met with me in a sovereign way.

Mozart quote "As a sow pittles, I write".
When you are called to do something, you do a lot of it. You have to set your hand to the plow. When I get with God, I just naturally write songs. Some are just for me, and are not meant for the wider audience.  It is a gift. it is a treasure fully given by the Lord.

Q&A

Here are a few of the questions that came in during the webinar.

Q: Cate S. - I am trying to build an emotionally healthy worship set by including celebratory songs as well as lament-type songs for the different seasons of our church but it's been difficult to weave in and out of those places in a 20-30 minute span. Do you have any tips on how to do this well?

A: I try to make change in tempo not too huge in the transitions from one song to another.  Sometimes, however, I think it's OK to go from joyful and upbeat to slower and meditative right away.  I just try a bunch of different combinations of song sequences and see which one feels the best.

Q: Phil N. - What is new on the horizon for songs and a new album?

A: I continue to write songs and will continue to record songs, sometimes one at a time, sometimes in a compilation project with other people.  I don't know the timing of my next release.  I will be involved on a joint project between World Vision Canada and Vineyard Canada soon.

Q: Tamera E. - Can one be JUST a guitarist and still be a worship leader? Not a piano player?    

A: I assume you mean you're a vocalist / guitarist.  If you are, then yes, you can definitely lead worship with guitar and voice.  In thousands of churches across the US and Canada, the main worship leaders are vocalist / guitarists.  And lots of them are women!