Pastor/Worship Leader, Consider these resources for your ministry!
I am here to help! And–I can come where you are to help! My dream is to share what I have learned in all these years study and ministry in the area of worship. I do not promote any style of music. I try to bring the unchanging truths of the Word and Heart of God to the issues of private and public worship. In these pages you will find information on my book:
Worship That Pleases God: The Passion and Reason of True Worship
This is a comprehensive book ranging far beyond the sanctuary to the private altar, to the heart of the worshiper and even to the workplace. Whole-life worship is the kind that pleases God.
“Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise and do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15, 16 NIV)
20 years in the making, 10 years of intensive Bible study and another 10 years of worship leadership, this book is a life-changer. Says, Dr. Phifer, “I saw how rapidly changes in culture affected public worship so I asked the Lord to show me the eternal, unchanging things.”
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Finally! A Study Course for Worship Teams:
More Than Music: Becoming a Highly Effective Worship Team
More Than Music: Becoming a Highly Effective Worship TeamMore than Music: Becoming a Highly Effective Worship Team is a biblically sound presentation of why and how singers, instrumentalists, and technicians can come together to lead the People of God in corporate worship. Team members are shown how to find the dynamic center between cultural effectiveness and spiritual power.
Without the anointing of the Holy Spirit, all we can produce is a sound wave.
We must learn to produce More than Music!
Click Here to order your copy.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: The Call to Pray
BOOK ONE: EXPOSITION
Chapter One: My Story
I Needed More
Stirred by a Nobel Theme
Chapter Two: New Covenant Prayer
Prayer the Way Jesus Taught It
Prayer the Way the Apostle Taught It
Chapter Three: The Apostle Paul on Prayer
All Kinds of Prayer
New Language of New Covenant Prayer
Chapter Four: Prayer in the Early Church
Public and Private Worship
The First Century Prayer Paradigm
The Church in the Book of Acts
Chapter Five: Ancient Wisdom
The Rule of Prayer Is the Rule of Faith
The Life of Prayer—Pray without Ceasing
The Colossians Credo
Chapter Six: A Short History of Prayer
The Ancient World (33 A.D. through 1054 A.D.)
The Medieval and Modern World (1054-Today)
BOOK TWO: INSPIRATION
Chapter Seven: Prayer and Renewal
A Flame for each of Us
Rest Area
Chapter Eight: Prayer and Healing
Candles in the Desert
The Gift of Tenacity
Pressing Through
Chapter Nine: Prayer and Change
The Refiner’s Fire: A Cleansing Flame
Private Prayer Is Spiritual Warfare
Chapter Ten: Conclusion
Secrets of the Secret Place
Charge: A Call to the Life of Prayer
BOOK THREE: APPLICATION
7 Days of Prayer
Morning Prayer Sunday through Saturday
Evening Prayer
What is the purpose of a prayer book in modern worship?
For most people the task of improvising a time of prayer is subject to many factors, from lack of concentration to just plain “feeling bad today.” If you have trouble with unstructured, “make it up as you go,” prayer times, “7 Days of Prayer” will be a blessing to you. Dr. Phifer has compiled this contemporary prayer book. Inspired by the historic, Book of Common Prayer, one of the great documents of the Protestant Reformation in England, this book provides you with seven services of morning prayer organized around the work week. There is also a tender, peace-filled service of evening prayer. The church fathers developed discipleship prayer plan, lex orandi lex crendi est, “the rule of prayer is the rule of faith.” Using written prayers, called “fixed prayers,” puts great prayers into the hearts of believers. Confessing great prayers builds great faith. 7 Days of Prayer will help you apply what you have learned in Into the Secret Place.
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Leading artists is never an easy job. Artists are intelligent, observant, inwardly motivated, and most important of all they resist controlling leadership. I know because I am an artist and I have spent more than 50 years learning how to lead them. My job as a pastoral artist is to help them find God’s will, God’s way, and to sense God’s timing so that they are free to create. Most of the time Christian artists have either learned their various crafts in the world’s training center and sometimes they try to create in the church without the benefit of the biblical, Christ-centered methods. Toward this end I offer this book:
This book tells the story of how over several decades and in six different states I have transformed music ministries into Arts Ministries. My central metaphor is the resurrected Lazarus–back from the dead but still bound head-t0-toe in grave clothes. Jesus told those around the man to, “Loose Him and Let Him Go!” The leaders of the church must learn how to create a climate and devotion in which Christian artist can learn how to create in the local church. The church should be the most creative place in town! In two parts: Part One–Discipling the Creative Christian, and Part Two–Christian ministry through the arts.
Order your copy from Amazon today:
https://tinyurl.com/wrjwy8sx
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PDF article collections
For The Lead Pastor
Isaiah and John the Baptist tell us that we must build a highway through our wilderness so that the Glory of the Lord can be seen among us. Using the metaphor of building a road I have collected pertinent articles on the challenges this presents us modern pastors.
Send me an email at DrStevePhifer@Gmail.com on how you can add this important resource to your library.
For The Worship Leader/Chief Musician
Since the time of King David, the Lord has used musicians to call His Covenantal People to worship. Music is the principal art of public worship. I have collected this set of helpful articles on “Unlocking the Power of Congregational Song”
Send an email at DrStevePhifer@Gmail.com on how you can add this important resource to your library.
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To assist all believers in moments of private prayer…
Whether you start or end your day with a quiet time alone with the Lord, the Path of Life Devotional will help you and encourage you. Each devotion is given a one-word title. Around this idea you will find an inspirational essay, chosen scriptures passages, a prayer, and a song. Be sure to click the follow option to receive email notification of each day’s post. Go to PathofLifeDevotions.com.
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There is so much inspiration and information at this website! This is an index of all the articles listed under the four core values of this ministry: Artistry/Integrity/Ministry/Worship Renewal. Each title is also a link to that article. To consult this index go to: https://stevephifer.com/resources/article-links/
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Here is information on the seminars I can bring to your church.
The Power of the Dove: Living in the Gentle Power of the Holy Spirit My most recent seminar is for the whole church. We are told in the Bible to “walk in the Spirit.” What does that mean? How do we do that? In this 5-part teaching I attempt to bring together the biblical revelation of the ministry of the Holy Spirit to and through the New Covenant believer. For information go to: https://stevephifer.com/worship-seminar-the-power-of-the-dove/
Enter In…covers much of material in Worship that Pleases God in seminar form. In four sessions it works well as a worship revival. The most frequent response I have received to this teaching is “life-changing.” With this seminar you can take a major step toward unifying the worship vision of your church. Find out more about this life-changing teaching! Go to: https://stevephifer.com/worship-seminar/
In the Secret Place: Pray like the Apostles
I did my doctoral thesis on private worship. One of the results is this teaching. Our people want to to pray. What they need is a proper biblical understanding of prayer and a sound, proven method of praying. In the Secret Place can help them succeed in private prayer. Imagine the long-term effect of more and more of your people praying more and more! To discover a deeper dimension of prayer, go to: https://stevephifer.com/worship-seminar-private-worship/
Generation -2- Generation
Designed for the whole Worship Team, Generation -2- Generation serves to unite the whole family of God in worship. Separate sessions for worship team artists and technicians and for the pastoral team help pinpoint challenges and provide proven solutions. The world would divide us; the Holy Spirit wants to unite us. Find out how to lead this kind of worship. Read more about this seminar at: https://stevephifer.com/worship-seminar-generation-to-generation/
A City on a Hill: The Church in the Marketplaces of Culture is a cutting-edge presentation of a godly, biblical vision for ministry through the arts. The church should be the most creative place in town. Through organized artistic ministry, we can pass the torch to a new generation of communicators made holy and powerful by the Spirit of God. The Latter Day Outpouring of the Spirit will be marked by the visions and dreams of the young and the old. Ever work of art begins as a dream or a vision. Worship Renewal must be marked by a renewal of the arts, fit again for the use of Master Creator. Find more information at: https://stevephifer.com/worship-seminar-a-city-on-a-hill/
With the A Heart of Praise seminar, I condense years and years of pastoral experience and Bible study into two teaching sessions. This presentation is perfect for worship team or choir retreats where there are other items on the schedule. The beauty of this for the local leader is that I get to say and teach things that the leader wants to say but usually can’t without offending the ones who need the teaching most.
My desire is for you to have a platform filled with humble, passionate, lovers of God who are being actively assisted in ministry by the power of the Holy Spirit. How can this be? Because God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble and because the goals of your team agree with the purposes of the Spirit. As is stated in A Heart of Praise: Musicians who want to sing and play with the Power of the Holy Spirit, need to be in agreement with the Purposes of the Holy Spirit.
A Heart of Praise is perfect for a weekend retreat setting or worship team/choir and orchestra workshop. I can then stay over Sunday morning preach a sermon to inspire your congregation to deeper worship both privately and in the sanctuary. For more details, go to: https://stevephifer.com/worship-renewal-seminar-a-heart-of-praise/
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I believe in the use of band and orchestra instruments in worship today. Psalm 150 calls for this and I believe with all my heart that it pleases the Lord. When worship leaders try to use the music students and experienced players in the church, musical arrangements are required. While much music of this sort is available from publishers, it is helpful to have someone who can arrange the songs you choose for your players. I have done this for many years and would love to help you bring on the instrumentalists in your church! Let’s work together! “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”
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Jesus was a story-teller, setting an example for us today. As the coming Renaissance of the Worship Arts get underway, leaders need to call the artists of the church together in the holy enterprise of telling the Jesus story, especially at Christmas and Easter. At these high and holy seasons of the year, the world is watching and listening. The question is: are we telling the story? Music theatre has always been a chosen method for me to use as the local pastoral artist to bring order to the community of creatives within the congregation and to tell he story in the post powerful way possible–music theatre. Over the past 40 years I have written more than 25 scripts enabling our artists to grow in their faith as they bind their gifts together to tell the Jesus Story. I offer my services to local leaders to create a professional-level script according to the dreams and visions of their hearts put there by the Holy Spirit. If you think church productions are a thing of the past, I invite to explore the possibilities presented in a 5-part series of how-to articles that begins here:
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Pastor, do you need a friend? Perhaps you would be blessed to have a friend who has studied the Bible on worship for 40+ years. Maybe this friend would also have even more years than that actually leading worship and serving on several pastoral staffs. I want to be that friend! I believe in your calling, your leadership, and your vision. I want to be on your team!
I propose more of a friendship than a business partnership. I want to listen to you. What has the Lord been telling you about what He wants from your worship services? I might be able to help you find a road from where you are now to where the Lord wants you to be. Working with creative artists can be a challenge. I have pastored them for many years and chances are I can help. Let’s talk!
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Enjoy my website and pray about you and me joining forces to see your church arise in the power and glory our Rise Savior!
Semper Reformanda!
Dr. Stephen Phifer